It has just been revealed the 2024 Recorded Music NZ Music Hall of Fame inductee is Dame Hinewehi Mohi.

Dame Hinewehi Mohi’s remarkable story and ongoing contributions highlight her as a trailblazer in the revitalisation of te reo Māori and Māori music in Aotearoa.

Dame Hinewehi’s journey began with a deeply personal connection to her cultural roots, inspired by her father’s decision to reclaim his birthright and connect with his cultural identity at the age of 30. Immersed in te reo Māori through daily lessons with her father and exposure to Māori waiata, Hinewehi became an advocate for the everyday use of te reo Māori in New Zealand.

Her advocacy took a significant turn when she sang ‘God Defend New Zealand’ in te reo Māori at a Rugby World Cup match in 1999, sparking renewed debate and ultimately normalising the singing of the national anthem in both Māori and English.

Dame Hinewehi’s impact extends beyond her groundbreaking performance. As the Manukura Puoro Māori at APRA AMCOS NZ, she champions the growth of Māori music and the development of a bilingual music industry. She initiated the Waiata Anthems project, which supports artists in recording their hit songs in Māori, resulting in a chart-topping album that spent 27 weeks in the Top40.

In addition to her musical endeavours, Dame Hinewehi is the founder of the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, providing music therapy to those with special needs. Led by Dame Hinewehi, the Trust will be celebrating this anniversary by reclaiming the record for world’s largest haka (4028 people) from France, at an event at Eden Park on 29 September 2024.

Dame Hinewehi Mohi will be celebrated at the Aotearoa Music Awards on Thursday 30 May at the Viaduct Events Centre. The event will be livestreamed by Official Media Partner RNZ via rnz.co.nz and across its social media channels.

The post 2024 NZ Music Hall of Fame Inductee Announced appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

On October 15th in 2007, with new anti-terrorism powers, the New Zealand Police swooped on the people of Tūhoe, raiding homes in the small town of Rūātoki in the Bay of Plenty, Aotearoa.

Among the many arrested under suspicion of domestic terrorism was activist Tame Iti. Fourteen years on, award-winning filmmaker Tearepa Kahi, world renowned actor Cliff Curtis and artist Tame Iti announce their response to the event, with feature film Muru. The gripping action-drama is set for nationwide general release on February 3rd, 2022, in time for Waitangi Day.

Muru is a Māori concept for reconciliation and forgiveness. Written and directed by Tearepa Kahi (Poi E: The Story of our Song, Mt. Zion) and filmed in the Te Urewera and Rūātoki, Muru stars Cliff Curtis (The Dark Horse, Avatar 2), Jay Ryan (IT Chapter Two, The Furnace), Manu Bennett (The Hobbit trilogy) and Simone Kessell (Reckoning). Support cast includes Ria Te Uira Paki (The Dead Lands), Roimata Fox (Waru), Poroaki Merritt-McDonald (Savage) and Tame Iti as himself.

Tearepa Kahi’s previous feature films Mt. Zion and Poi E: The Story of our Song were both released on Waitangi Day, setting local box office records. Tearepa Kahi said Muru was made with “a Merata Mita and Geoff Murphy spirit, a Tame Iti authenticity and a Cliff Curtis commitment to craft.”

Kahi commented on the production process: “Shooting a film on location in Tūhoe during a pandemic brought an interesting set of challenges to our already challenging story, but the shared understanding and full support of local Tūhoe marae and kaumātua, cast and crew allowed us to move through the shoot at a deliberate pace and create characters with shape that we hope will create a deep cultural impact and speak truth to power.”

Lead Producer Reikura Kahi (Poi E: The Story of our Song) says Muru is a powerful and revealing te reo Māori language film with strong performances from a dream cast. Reikura Kahi continued: “Our most memorable day was when our cast and crew were welcomed on to Tuapou Marae, in the Waimana Valley. Listening to the waiata tangi and standing in silence beside the resting place of Rua Kēnana. Muru is not a re-creation of the events which occurred on October 15th, but a story which weaves the deep past and the recent present together, in order to reach a place, we need now more than ever, greater understanding.”

Kahi worked with cinematographer Fred Renata (Poi E: The Story of our Song, Mt. Zion), Academy Award winning editor John Gilbert (Hacksaw Ridge, The Lord of the Rings) and composer Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper (Shadow in the Cloud) to bring Muru to life and said working with Cliff Curtis was “a dream come true”. He continued: “An actor of Cliff’s abilities, being in constant international demand, plus coming out of the ‘Avatar 2’ shoot, I knew we had to put something to him that would allow him to really bite down and showcase all his skills.”

Executive Producer and lead actor Cliff Curtis commented: “We live in challenging times. Muru is a suitably wild ride in Tūhoe land. It reminds me that when the world goes crazy and things go wrong, then courage and love is what really matters in life. I am honoured to collaborate with Tearepa and Reikura because they are true champions of Māori story telling. They work with heart and guts and a deep respect and joy for our living heritage. As always they are committed to our unique and rich humanity in this latest touchstone Muru.”

Muru is the first feature film to be funded under Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga – New Zealand Film Commission’s He Pounamu Te Reo Māori Feature Film Fund under Te Rautaki Māori Strategy.  Pouwhakahaere Te O Kahurangi Waaka says that the funds committed to make films with majority Te Reo Māori and that support Māori storytelling to reach domestic and global audiences have been long overdue, marking a significant milestone for the sector with the release of Muru. The film was made with additional investment from Arclight Films International, Te Māngai Pāho, NZ On Air/Irirangi Te Motu, Three (TBC), Imagezone and Images & Sound. The film is being distributed in New Zealand and Australia by Rialto Distribution, with Arclight Films International handling rest of world sales.

Muru will be released in cinemas nationwide on 3rd February 2022, for Waitangi Day.

The post ‘MURU’ANNOUNCED FOR NEW ZEALAND RELEASE appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Trans is beautiful. Trans men are men.

A young transgender activist for a group called ‘Trans Aware’ who now goes by the name Caz (Elz Carrad) has run away from his small rural dairy farming hometown of Rūrangi – escaping the prejudice and his past. Living in the city of Auckland.

A reluctant return to Rūrangi after the tragic end of a secret affair sees Caz stuck in his hometown for a week while his car is in for repairs.

Suddenly stranded, there is no option but to face the death of his mother from cancer, a funeral that he failed to return home for some years ago, and where his father must suddenly accept that his daughter is now a man.

Caz’s father (Kirk Torrance) has got himself at odds with the small tight-knit community, becoming an environmental activist, a lone voice against pesticide use.

Chemicals that his father believes caused his wife’s cancer.

Slowly and at times awkwardly Caz and his father try to re-ignite the father son relationship but it takes an illness for all to be resolved.

Picturesque rural backdrops of the real world town of Rūrangi are at times contrasted by flashbacks of Caz’s life in Auckland.

Unmistakably a New Zealand film, the story brings in a welcome inclusion of Maori culture and language aswell as the feel of small town New Zealand.

A film to definitely see, breaking stereotypes, Rūrangi is a film filled with emotion.

The post Rūrangi (Autonomouse – 2020) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Freshly invited to be an Academy member, 2020 Oscar Nominated Producer for Best Picture, JOJO RABBIT, Chelsea Winstanley headed back to Aotearoa, New Zealand and started filming “TOI TŪ TOI ORA – Visual Sovereignty”, directing and producing the documentary under her newly formed company This Too Shall Pass.
Desray Armstrong of Sandy Lane Productions is producing with Winstanley.

Winstanley had to go through two weeks of mandatory quarantine in New Zealand before being able to roam freely there.

“TOI TŪ TOI ORA – Visual Sovereignty” follows the final year of preparation and first international showing of Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki’s forthcoming exhibition, Toi Tū Toi Ora: Contemporary Māori Art; the most comprehensive survey of contemporary Māori art to be presented in Aotearoa New Zealand in recent history.

“TOI TŪ TOI ORA – Visual Sovereignty” takes an unflinching look from the 1950’s to the present day, highlighting various artforms that combine history, technique and indigenous authorship into the future. The film will capture behind the scenes preparation, follow several artists creating new work and give an honest portrayal of what the narrative, traditionally shaped by Western culture, has had on contemporary Māori art. Covid-19 has proven to be a major obstacle but with a silver lining for both the artists and the gallery now having to adapt in these unprecedented times.

With over 120 indigenous artists, the majority being women, who have exhibited at Venice Biennale, Centre Pompidou in Paris and many other prestigious venues around the world, the show is helmed by a unique indigenous perspective. The Gallery’s Māori art curator Nigel Borell is leading a dynamic exhibition project that prioritises Māori and indigenous knowledge.

“It is clear that we need to ensure voices of those traditionally left out of the conversations for change are heard. Storytelling and Art Activism are ways to contribute to transformation and while artists have always responded to the political and social environment of the times, the critical narrative has often been controlled by those who uphold western artistic ideologies as the benchmark for what is contemporary art. This exhibition is unique because the narrative and therefore the experience is Indigenous from the outset” says director Winstanley. “My sole focus is to tell stories that give voice to those traditionally left out. Given what has recently transpired in the world I am committed to maintaining my vision”.

On Matariki’s eve (Māori New Year celebration), while filming her documentary, Winstanley has been promoting the re-release of Disney’s Moana Reo Māori, (the Māori language version of the Disney animated film, Moana). This is associated with its debut on the Disney+ streaming platform in New Zealand, as she was involved in the original Te Reo Māori release.

Winstanley’s production company‘s DNA is to champion a new perspective of indigenous voices, citing her in-development drama feature THE APPEAL – a true story about a Samoan lawyer who defends the leader of the Black Power gang citing racial prejudice within the criminal justice system. With mountains still to climb to reach equality, Winstanley hopes the stories she supports will highlight the injustice Māori and people of color have endured in a highly racist system that is due for an overhaul.

Everyone that works on STG is a volunteer. If you like the site and it’s contents please think about donating. Even a small amount helps keep the servers running.

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The great and legendary Māori warrior, Waka Nuku Rau (Te Kohe Tuhaka) is dead.

But the afterlife is locked to him. He cannot pass through until he redeems himself back among the living.

Somewhat arrogant Waka is used to being a lone wolf, living his life by his own rules.

When he awakes from his death the land he knew is different. His people, his whanau are nowhere to be seen and a rift has occurred between the light and dark, the living and the dead.

A young strong female warrior called Mehe (Darneen Christian) enlists his help to save her tribe against the legions of undead.

Mehe’s skeptical brother Rangi (Jordi Webber) does not trust Waka Nuku Rau, but Waka doesn’t really care and takes it upon himself to begrudgingly assist her and her people while training Mehe to become a legendary fighter in her right.

All-the-while Waka flips between the world of the living and the dead as the dead give him confusing and conflicting advice… lies intertwined in truths that any action Waka takes could be his undoing or worse. Is it redemption or is it unfinished business…?

The Dead Lands is a supernatural thriller / action series that depicts a fantastical journey of New Zealand’s (Aotearoa) native peoples called Māori before European settlers came to their land.

For myself being a New Zealander I was extremely proud that this series had been shot, written and produced locally (Glen Standring) and has an almost entire Māori cast. Moreso seeing a Māori female as a strong lead and heroine gets an honourable nod from me.

The native language of Māori, Te Reo is sprinkled throughout each episode – personally I would have liked to see more of it perhaps subtitled in the narrative – but I also understand that this series is not only for NZer’s but an International audience.

The Dead Lands is borne from a partnership with Shudder, TVNZ and AMC Networks – the very network that bought us The Walking Dead.

It’s a fantastic series – and while the depiction of Māori is not always entirely accurate, it can be seen that there has been alot of attention to detail and where possible Māori lore and legends aswell as traditions has been worked in.

The wardrobe needs a mention here too – it is super detailed – as authentic as the narrative allows and sets the tone perfectly for the series.

The Dead Lands features eight episodes in Season One – and I truly hope that there is a second Season in the works.

Full recommend. The Dead Lands – mythical, mystical and totally a must watch.

The post The Dead Lands (TV Series – 2020) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

A ground-breaking New Zealand television series has launched to what is being described as one of the largest ever international audiences for a New Zealand television production.

The Dead Lands is an eight-part series formed under a partnership with GFC Film, AMC Shudder and TVNZ commissioned by TVNZ and AMC Shudder, and supported by the Government’s New Zealand Screen Production Grant administered by the New Zealand Film Commission.  The New Zealand producers were Tainui Stephens and Liz Adams with Matthew Metcalfe executive producing. The series was written by Glenn Standring.  It is the first New Zealand series commissioned directly by a US network.

The supernatural adventure is set in a mythical Māori past and features a murdered Māori warrior, Waka Nuku Rau (Te Kohe Tuhaka), who is sent back to the world of the living to redeem his sins. But the world Waka returns to is ravaged by a breach between life and the afterlife, as the spirits of the newly dead now stalk the land and hunt the living.

Tainui Stephens says the series is a great opportunity to bring Māori people and traditions to global audiences. And, he added, it was essential to maintain the integrity of Tikanga Māori during filming.

“It was crucial that behind the camera, and across all aspects of the show, Māori held leadership and creative positions. As a starting fundamental, the Tikanga Māori of the show had to be right; we had to infuse all aspects of the show from the most senior levels to the day players and casual crew.”

Executive Producer Matthew Metcalfe says The Dead Lands is a huge achievement on many levels.  “It is a 100% New Zealand production; a New Zealand story with 100% New Zealand cast and crew.”

The cast is primarily Māori and Metcalfe is proud to be associated with a project were the Māori characters are positive, inspiring and powerful.

“I am very proud to see so many young actors in The Dead Lands embracing and celebrating their roles as Māori superheroes.”

The Dead Lands qualified for the New Zealand Screen Production Grant which is administered by the New Zealand Film Commission. The Screen Product Grant supports both the creation of New Zealand content and stories and builds the sustainability, scale and critical mass of the domestic film industry.

The New Zealand Film Commission also supported The Dead Lands through a Development Grant and the support of interns and professional attachments to build capacity and capability of the with the Maori screen industry.

NZFC Chief Executive Annabelle Sheehan said “It is fantastic to have New Zealand key creative and crew working on a unique New Zealand project for a global audience.”

Stephens says he believes The Dead Lands has taken tikanga into different territories and in a way, colonised the genre. “AMC really appreciated the fact it wasn’t just a fantasy/splatter movie, there was actually a solid story.”

The Dead Lands is streaming in New Zealand on TVNZ On Demand, and on AMC Networks’ Shudder in the US, Canada, UK and Ireland.

The post UNIQUE NEW ZEALAND SERIES THE DEAD LANDS IS NOW appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural, announced today that its new original series THE DEAD LANDS, a co-production with New Zealand’s TVNZ, will premiere with two episodes on Thursday, January 23rd 2020, across all of Shudder’s territories (US, Canada, the UK and Ireland).

It will also air on TVNZ OnDemand in New Zealand immediately after its international debut. Subsequent episodes will premiere on both Shudder and TVNZ OnDemand weekly.

THE DEAD LANDS features a supernatural adventure set in a mythic Māori past, with an aesthetic that’s
part Ash vs Evil Dead and part Xena: Warrior Princess.

The series features a murdered Māori warrior, Waka Nuku Rau (Te Kohe Tuhaka), who’s sent back to the world of the living to redeem his sins. But the world Waka returns to is ravaged by a breach between Life and the Afterlife as the spirits of the newly dead now stalk the land and hunt the living.

Waka encounters a determined young woman, Mehe (Darneen Christian), who becomes both his protégé and moral compass. Together, they navigate tribal politics, the unsettled ghosts of Ancestors and other forces both natural and supernatural, on a quest to discover who “broke the world” and how to repair it, if it’s not too late.

The eerie world of THE DEAD LANDS as well as the characters brought to life (or death) within it are
inspired by Māori traditions and histories.

The series is set in a mythical Aoteoroa (the Māori name for New Zealand), taking full advantage of the natural beauty of its landscapes. The series features screen combat performed in the Māori martial art of Mau Rākau, while elements of action and fantasy throughout the story have been given shape by versions of Māori rituals reimagined for the show. In order to honor the Māori people and their culture, the creation of the series required authoritative

Māori control and advice to be present in all areas, both in front of and behind the camera.

“The modern Māori world thrives because our story traditions insist we respect the past before we explore the potential of the future. With THE DEAD LANDS, we’re proud to bring our people and those traditions to global audiences,” said producer Tainui Stephens.

“THE DEAD LANDS is a bold, exciting series unlike anything else on TV, an epic adventure in a breathtaking setting, based on Māori culture. It’s got action, scares and humor in equal measures, and we can’t wait to share it with Shudder members around the world,” said Craig Engler, Shudder’s General Manager.

“THE DEAD LANDS is a Māori story on a global scale. It’s important content filled with wairua. Our viewers are going to love this epic drama and we’re excited to be part of the international conversation surrounding the programme, as we stream at the same time as our friends at Shudder,” said TVNZ Director of Content, Cate Slater.

THE DEAD LANDS stars Te Kohe Tuhaka (Monster Problems) as “Waka Nuku Rau,” Toi Whakaari New Zealand Drama School senior Darneen Christian in her first television role as “Mehe Te Wehiwehi,” Kirk Torrance (Outrageous Fortune) as “Kā” and Vicky Haughton (Whale Rider, King Kong) as “Turika.” The series is written by Glenn Standring (Six Days) who also wrote the 2014 The Dead Lands feature, which is set in the same mythical world as the series but is unconnected to its characters or story.

The eight-episode series from production company GFC Films is executive produced by Standring, Fraser Brown and Matthew Metcalfe, produced by Tainui Stephens and Liz Adams, and directed by Peter Meteherangi Tikao Burger and Michael Hurst.

The post The Dead Lands – Supernatural Maori Series Coming Early 2020! appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Microsoft Corp has announced the inclusion of te reo Māori in its Microsoft Translator application, which will enable instant translations of text from more than 60 languages into te reo Māori and vice versa.

Through the Microsoft Translator application, the Māori language will be available to more people around the world through the use of advanced machine learning translation technology. Brad Smith, president of Microsoft, announced the news today via his blog; “To focus only on shaping the future ignores the value of the past, as well as our responsibility to preserve and celebrate the te reo Māori heritage. Which is why we are proud to announce the inclusion of te reo Māori in our free Microsoft Translator app.”

The free Translator software will be widely available on computers or smart devices, enabling people around the world to instantly translate text and documents into te reo Māori and vice versa, as well as the many other languages supported by the app such as Spanish and Chinese.

“Microsoft has been working with language experts on projects that include te reo Māori in our platforms and software for more than 14 years. We want to provide better access to Māori language and culture via the technology Kiwis use every day. Prime Minister Ardern has called for 1 million new te reo Māori speakers by 2040. We’re determined to support this goal, and including te reo Māori in Microsoft Translator is one more action we can take to help make the language accessible to as many people as possible,” said Anne Taylor, Education Lead at Microsoft New Zealand.

Microsoft Translator needs to ‘learn’ te reo Māori in order to provide accurate translations that grow and change with the language, recognising that language is a breathing, living thing. The translation model employed for te reo Māori will use Microsoft’s AI technology, which will allow the accuracy of the translations to be continually updated and refined.

Te Taka Keegan, senior lecturer in Computer Science at Waikato University, is one of the many experts who helped guide the project from the beginning and is excited to finally see the platform made available to millions of people worldwide.

“The development of this Māori language tool would not have been possible without many people working towards a common goal over many years. I’m delighted to finally see this project come to life and not only support the everyday use of te reo Māori in our schools and workplaces here in Aotearoa, but help scholars, researchers and ordinary people access and study the language around the world.”

Brad Smith said the te reo Māori project forms part of a broader programme of work to support indigenous languages and culture worldwide.

“When a community loses a language, it loses its connection to the past – and part of its present. It loses a piece of its identity. As we think about protecting this heritage and the importance of preserving language, we believe that new technology can help,” he said.

Microsoft Translator can be downloaded at Microsoft’s Official Site.

The post Te reo Māori now included in Microsoft Translator app appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Co-Directors Ainsley Gardiner and Briar Grace-Smith are the 2019 recipients of the Sundance Institute Merata Mita Fellowship, an annual fellowship named in honor of the late Māori filmmaker Merata Mita (1942-2010). The announcement was delivered today at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival.

Sundance Institute selected the two filmmakers from a global call for applicants. They will be awarded cash grants and a yearlong continuum of support with activities, including a trip to the Sundance Film Festival, access to strategic and creative services offered by Sundance Institute artist programs, and mentorship opportunities.

Merata Mita

Ainsley Gardiner (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Pikiao and Te-Whānau-ā-Apanui) has produced television, shorts and features, including Two Cars, One Night and Tama Tu by Taika Waititi, and Waititi’s features, Eagle vs Shark and BOY. She directed Mokopuna, winning at Dreamspeakers International Film Festival.

Briar Grace-Smith (Ngā Puhi descent) is a filmmaker and writer of stage plays, screenplays,fictionand television scripts. She attended the Sundance Institute Screenwriters lab with The Strength of Water. Her short film Charm was part ofWaru, a feature made up of eight parts.

“Now in its fourth consecutive award year, this special Fellowship pays tribute to the immense artistic contributions and memory of our beloved colleague and friend Merata Mita, who was an activist, documentarian and the first and only Māori woman to write and direct a dramatic feature,” said N. Bird Runningwater (Cheyenne / Mescalero Apache), director, Sundance Institute’s Indigenous Program. “The Merata Mita Fellowship reflects Sundance Institute’s ongoing commitment to supporting Indigenous artists around the world. The selection of Ainsley and Briar as the 2019 recipients exemplifies the creative work and the efforts that Merata championed throughout her life.”

Merata Mita (Ngāi Te Rangi/Ngāti Pikiao) was New Zealand’s first Indigenous female filmmaker. She served as an advisor and artistic director of the Sundance Institute Native Lab from 2000 to 2009, where she championed emerging Indigenous talent.

Mita’s memory will be honored at this year’s Festival with the International Premiere of MERATA: How Mum Decolonized the Screen. The documentary — an intimate portrayal of Mita told through the eyes of her children — includes hours of never-before-seen archival footage. Hepi Mita, Merata’s youngest child and the film’s director and screenwriter, discovers the filmmaker he never knew and shares with the world the mother he lost. The Merata Mita Fellowship is supported by New Zealand Film Commission, Indigenous Media Initiatives, Felix Culpa, Sarah Luther, Pacific Islanders in Communications, and Susan Shilliday.

The post Honors Artistic Contributions of Late Māori Filmmaker appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

NOW CLOSED – A strong and emotional collection of intertwining short films.

Eight female Maori directors have each contributed a ten minute vignette, presented as a continuous shot in real time, that unfolds around the tangi (funeral) of a small boy called Waru who died at the hands of his caregiver.

The vignettes are all subtly interlinked and each follow one of eight female Maori lead characters during the same moment in time as they come to terms with Waru’s death and try to find a way forward in their community.

Thanks to our good mates at Vendetta Films, STG has THREE WARU DVD’s to Giveaway.

To Enter our WARU DVD Giveaway, you will need to Answer this Question correctly.

Waru is the name of a character (a boy) whose death sparks the theme for the short films presented within this production. ‘Waru’ is an actual Maori word for what?

A: Type of food

B: Meeting Place

C: Number

(You might find the Answer to this Question in our Review of the Film HERE).

You can give us your Answer by placing a Comment below, hitting us up on Facebook, Tweet to us, or Email Us.

* Winner(s) will be randomly selected from those that Comment below / Facebook Comment / Email in accordance to the above Question. Winner(s) will receive a WARU DVD. WARU is rated M15+in New Zealand. Competition ends on the 22nd of February 2018. You must be 15 years of Age or older to Enter this Promotion (STG may ask for proof of Age).

The post Enter to Win WARU on DVD appeared first on Shane the Gamer.