Boy Oh Boy
"Egg!"
Taking me straight back to my youth Taika Waititi latest movie, BOY, had me in fits of laughter as the main character, Boy, played by James Rolleston relived the behaviour, imagination and language of rural Māori kids in the 80s. It was the sort of rural location where your whole community centre revolves around one shop, the pub, your marae and the local school.
Back in the 80s teachers could smoke at school, although I don’t remember them smoking in the class rooms like on the movie, but I do remember them smoking on duty while wondering around the play grounds.
Play grounds are a large part of any child’s upbringing and Waititi manages to capture it nicely through the language used by the kids. It was a time when being called an ‘egg’ was a major insult. The term is used so frequently throughout the movie, it spurs on the comical antics of the characters.
“You’re such a frickin’ egg”
“You are! You’re a major egg.”
“… rotten egg, scrambled egg, poached egg”
Even during the early stages of developing the movie, language was a catalyst behind the era, ‘Taika started developing BOY soon after finishing Two Cars, One Night and it first emerged as a film called Choice (a slang word popular in the 80’s that has since been replaced by cool, wicked, awesome, mean and eventually by choice again).’
This movie is for everyone, not just the for the Coasties among us – even my Aussie mates thought it was the best movie they’d seen this year.
Posted in Te Ha
Freebies
When I see events advertised as ‘free’ or to put it more politely, ‘with no admission charge’, you can pretty much count on me to be there.
I live in the “Cultural Capital” of the country and yet my artistic and cultural appetite often goes unfulfilled. How can this be? Quite simply I can’t afford it, and yet, I would consider myself to be your average urban Māori woman who receives a regular wage.
The New Zealand International Arts Festival (NZIAF) is currently on at the moment and because I know how expensive the tickets are so I have to be very selective. I scoured through the programme to find my first choice in entertainment, Māori events. Hmmm … it’s pretty limited, I could only identify two plays and one Readers and Writers event. Surely not in Aotearoa where Māori art contributes significantly towards our country’s artistic portfolio? So I called the (NZIAF) office for some assistance and discovered that I was correct the first time, out of all the events that feature over 360 individual performances and 930 artists, only three events could be considered Māori. I was disappointed to say the least.
As it is, with the ticket prices and the surcharges on top of that I can only afford to go to one paid event but I’m sure it will be worth it. So it was a nice surprise when I saw Ngati Kahungunu/Tuhoe playwright Maraea Rakuraku presenting her new play, The Prospect, at the City Gallery last Sunday and, yes, it had free entry. The script was well performed and the dialogue was scarily realistic. “Hats off” to Maraea and the Writer’s Block team. I have no doubt that her work will be performed under bright lights and in front of packed theatres in the near future whose audience members will all have to buy tickets.
So why were there so many empty seats at this free event? The performance was a Writer’s Block play, so you can pretty much guarantee that it is going to be a quality show, it was free, advertised in Māori arts sectors including our website and happened on the weekend. There are so many performances produced, hosted or featuring Māori and yet there is always a struggle to get our people to support these shows. Why? I say support these great free events while you can, before it’s not an option and becomes a part of an overpriced festival.
Posted in Te Ope O Rehua, Te Ha
Sharing Information in a Contemporary World
By Diana Anderson
The International Weavers Invitational Symposium (I.W.I) held in Rotorua 8-13 January was a first for me. Not quite sure what to expect I was pleasantly surprised.
I was interested to see how other indigenous people transferred their knowledge as this formed part of my master thesis. While I had read literature on indigenous knowledge, I enjoyed the interaction and learning first hand from indigenous weavers of other cultures. The similarities in the issues we face concerning resources, access, ownership, transference of indigenous knowledge and guardianship to name a few varied on a continuum from good to not so good.
Theresa Secord a member of the Penobscot Nation and the Maine Indian
Basketmakers Alliance spoke of issues that she found affected the transference of indigenous knowledge. Theresa is teaching her niece the art of basket making and is from the era where attention meant being focused 100% without distractions, but with today’s technologies the mobile phone is very much a part of life for the young even while in a learning situation and this was an issue Theresa was still coming to grips with.
While time was at a premium during the event I was particularly honoured when Theresa presented me with a book that she had contributed to North by Northeast. This book provides a wealth of information and wonderful images of works by various indigenous artists. I am grateful for experiencing what I believe is the best of both worlds, the interaction with the artists and reading the work of the artists.
Posted in Te Roopu Raranga Whatu O Aotearoa
The short of it ... (3)
Mr Speaker, I stand before you today to offer an apology to former students of Indian Residential schools. The treatment of children in Indian Residential schools is a sad chapter in our history. We now recognise that far too often, these institutions gave rise to abuse and neglect and were inadequately controlled. And, we apologise for failing to protect you. Not only did you suffer these abuses as children, but as you became parents you were powerless to protect your own children from suffering the same experiences – and for this, we are sorry. – Speech delivered by Prime Minister Stephen Harper to the House of Commons, 39th PARLIAMENT, 2nd SESSION, Wednesday, June 11, 2008
The early millennium seemed to be the decade of apologies to the Indigenous peoples of the commonwealth for more than a century’s worth of discrimination and injustices. One would have to be very naïve to believe that everything became harmonious after particular apologies were given and documented. However, official apologies were an indication that issues have been acknowledged and are potentially being addressed.
Apologies that were acknowledged or recognised were those given to some iwi as part of the Treaty settlements in Aotearoa, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s apology to the Stolen Generations and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s apology to the former students of Indian Residential Schools where First nations, Inuit and Métis I languages and cultural practices were prohibited in Canada. And, yes, we too have our stories and knowledge of how Māori were treated in the New Zealand education system.
I start this blog on a more serious note than I would normally, largely due to a short film that I just watched. The film is called ‘My Private Own Lower Post’ by two-spirited (takatāpui) Canada First Nation’s film maker Duane Gastant’ Aucoin.
The title of the short film, I gather, is a play on meanings or has connotations from the B52’s song, ‘Private Idaho’ released in 1980 or the 1991 film staring River Phoenix called “My Own Private Idaho’. Much like the song and feature film, Gastant’ Aucoin’s short film encompasses themes around understanding one’s own private world, journeys and discovery.
The short film starts with Gastant’ Aucoin reflecting on how the Indian Residential School where his mother was raised came to affect him and his relationship with his family as a child and as a parent. With that insight into his experience with the education/colonisation process the short film left me intrigued, interested and still thinking long after the credits had rolled around, which for me is a key indicator that a short film has been well presented.
Early next month I get the opportunity to meet with Gastant’ Aucoin and see his short film again on a much larger screen. If you would like to join me come along to the Kerikeri Union Church, crn Kerikeri and Butler Roads, Sunday 7 February at 6pm for the screening. There is a gold coin entry, but it’s worth it.
Posted in Te Ha
The short of it ... (2)
By Kelly Joseph
little blue penguins
nesting under the wood pile
asthmatic donkies
I’ve always been a fan of short fictional forms—I’ve tried my hand at short stories, short film, and more recently short poetry, specifically haiku. A haiku is a brief non-rhymed verse that communicates an image or feeling. In its most common form it uses three lines of 17 or fewer syllables.
Traditional Japanese haiku often focused on nature and how humans connected to it, so it seemed a fitting genre to explore while I was on Kapiti Island earlier this year as writer in residence. The magical surrounds and creatures, especially the manu, inspired the content while the short form allowed me to compose a ditty as I took one of the many walks around the northern part of the island.
Haiku like many short forms are deceptively simple; it can be a tricky thing to convey an idea in such a short space. Composing a haiku is like figuring out a puzzle or a brainteaser. But they are satisfying to write and like other short forms, these gems can pack an emotional punch.
It was haiku that I chose to read to the school groups while touring with the Toi Māori On the Bus tour. I felt that my short stories were s a bit long, and the content perhaps too adult (boring) for kids. The brevity of haiku was more suited to the tamariki attention span. Also, the poems could be read on different levels, and I felt the subject matter of indigenous manu was more accessible to a range of ages.
As I read a poem I played a sound recording of each manu that the haiku referred to. For instance, I played the dulcet tones of the riroriro (grey warbler) as I read:
riroriro’s song
reminds me of my father
sweet notes rise and fall
With the birdcall playing in the background, the poem took on a singsong quality that the kids seemed to respond to and enjoy.
Posted in Te Ha, Nga Pou Kaituhi Maori
The short of it ... (1)
I‘ve come to realise that I like short things; short fiction, short films and short poems. I have a busy lifestyle; I’m one of those people that jam events and projects into any spare time I have. For my next three blogs I’m going to be looking at contemporary short pieces, and by contemporary I mean ‘what’s on today’ or at least this week, by Māori artists.
A busy life style often means doing a lot of squeezing-in with no time to indulge in hours of leisurely reading. I do, however, have time to read short stories. I can read a complete story from home to work on the bus in the mornings, during my lunch hour, sometimes during lectures and presentations (behind the mask of a laptop), in the bath, and right before I fall asleep at night. Because of their length I often think that short stories are undervalued.
I recently read the winning entry for the Pikihuia Awards for Māori Writers short story written in English by Tina Makereti called, ‘Skin and Bones.’ This story was a well crafted retelling of a creation story. Admittedly, if I had realised that the piece was (yet another) creation story about Tāne Mahuta, I would have been a little more sceptical about the substance of the content. But as it was, I was quickly drawn into the lines,
‘He went about the place tilling and planting and from time to time felt an urge. He’d look down and see his own weighty erection and think What am I suppose to do with this?’
With such a good hook, I carried on to see where this piece would lead and ended up really enjoying the story.
One story in the Huia Short Stories 8 (2009) book that really left me thinking was ‘School Bells’ by Whai Conroy about a young man’s experience at boarding school. If you’ve ever been to boarding school; boys, girls or co-ed, you’ll connect to Conroy’s portrayal straight away whether having experienced the misdemeanours of boarding schools or not. The story was sad, blunt and confronting and I was slightly taken aback by the language used, but that was only because I had forgotten how coarse adolescent language can be when there are no adults around. I was fascinated by ‘School Bells’, but also a little reluctant about delving too deep into my own boarding school memories.
Often I hear, ‘I don’t get it’ or ‘that’s not an ending’ after convincing friends and family to read a short story. But isn’t that the point … it’s not a novel so there doesn’t have to be a start, middle and ending. Short stories can show you a snippet of life, tell a favourite yarn, make you think, share an experience or retell a myth. There are no set rules or structures for a short story other than to be read. I believe that to really enjoy and appreciate short stories you have to read them often. Titles that have come out in recent years by Māori writers are:
• Huia Short Stories 8 (2009)
• He Iti, He Taonga: Taranaki Māori Women Speak (2008)
• Paula Morris, Forbidden Cities (2008)
• Alice Tawhai, Luminous (2007)
• Patricia Grace, Small Holes in the Silence (2006)
And these are just the collections of short stories I know of, not including those stories that have been published in magazines, journals or passed around the kitchen table. If you know of any contemporary collections of short fiction by Māori writers published in the past five years or so, be sure to let me know.
Next blog: the short film. Head along to the Paramount Theatre if you’re in Wellington or visit http://www.showmeshorts.co.nz/ for screenings near you of contemporary short films as part of the Show Me Shorts Film Festival.
Posted in Te Ha