To Live in the City - 24 Years On

Something of an antipodean Seven Up! (a series of life-chronicling British documentaries) this documentary picks up on the stories of four young Māori — now middle-aged — 24 years after they moved to the Wellington as part of a Māori Affairs Department redeployment program. It makes liberal use of the original film to contrast the cowshed to cubicle journeys; and revisits Ripeka (now in Hamilton), Moana (Guam via Japan), Grace (Wellington), and Phillip (Brisbane), who reflect on the paths their lives have followed, and on their Māori culture and where 'home' is.

At the age of 17 I'd never been on a boat, I'd never been in a lift ... I'd never been on an escalator! It was very strange: it opened up a new world.

– Philip on arriving in the city

Key Cast & Crew

Brian Lennane

Director

Bronwen Stewart

Producer

Ian Johnstone

Writer, Narrator

Arthur Everard

Director - original

Mike Lemmon

Camera

Norm McPherson

Editor