Ahikāroa - First Episode (Money, Money, Money)

Creator Quinton Hita sees bilingual drama series Ahikāroa as a "commitment to a youth Māori voice". The long-running series follows the lives of a group of kura kaupapa (te reo Māori speaking) rangatahi Māori, their friendships, hook ups, triumphs and mess ups. In this episode, Geo (Turia Schmidt-Peke) is in no mood to party with flatmate Smooch (Te Ahorangi Winitana) and her boy racer mates. It's the birthday of Smooch's dead brother Ra and grief takes different forms. Geo discovers her wayward sister's in over her head and the easy-going Hemi (Nepia Takuira-Mita) adopts a 'te reo Māori' goat.

...being Māori is a superpower.

– Nepia Takuira-Mita (Te Arawa, Hāmoa) who plays Hemi in Ahikāroa, The Spinoff, 6 April 2023

Key Cast & Crew

Turia Schmidt-Peke

As: Smooch

Te Ahorangi Winitana

As: Geo

Kiel McNaughton

Co-Director

Quinton Hita

Producer, Series Creator

Nepia Takuira-Mita

As: Hemi

Hanelle Harris

Co-Director, Writer