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Dread
Television (Full Length) – 1996
In this Inside New Zealand documentary, writer/director Merata Mita visits East Coast Rastafarians The Dread, 10 years after their tumultuous conflict with police and locals in the East Coast community of Ruatōria. Fronted by veteran broadcaster Derek Fox (Ngāti Porou), the documentary reveals the staunch beliefs — a combination of Afro-Caribbean Rastafarianism and Ringatu, the faith of Māori prophet, Te Kooti — governing their daily lives. In 1996, just over 100 followers of The Dread were still in Ruatoria, committed to the Rastafari lifestyle and convinced it would lead them to tino rangatiratanga.
God is not blonde-haired, blue-eyed. God is brown.– Auckland Dread member Tigilau Ness, at the start of this documentary
Key Cast & Crew
See all 18 credits
Produced by
Ora Digital
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