Kete Aronui - Merata Mita

This episode of the Māori arts show follows Māori screen pioneer Merata Mita, who produced vital work anchored in culture and community. This extract looks at the day in May 1978 police arrested 200+ protesters at Bastion Point. Mita and protest leader Joe Hawke talk about the importance of documentary Bastion Point: Day 507, which Mita directed with Gerd Pohlmann and Leon Narbey. Alongside footage from the film, there's talk of Springbok tour doco Patu!, plus Mauri and Utu, and Mita runs a lab for indigenous filmmakers. The closing credits feature a beloved scene from Mauri.

It was interesting because the whole idea of it isn't like getting the scripts in order, it’s about nurturing and helping the screenwriter and the director to reach the point where they feel confident about going out and directing the film that they've written.

– Merata Mita on her film lab for aboriginal writers and directors

Key Cast & Crew

Ngatapa Black

Narrator

Kelly Kahukiwa

Composer

Chelsea Winstanley

Producer

Gene Rivers

Composer

Merata Mita

Subject

Jane Reeves

Director