Descendants of the battle of O-Rākau gathered at the battle site to commemorate 162 years since the battle.
This year the proceedings of the commemoration were different. Director of Ka Whawhai Tonu, Mike Jonathan and the film crew of the award winning movie attended the commemoration to hand over the movie rights to the O-Rākau Heritage Society and descendants of the battle.
“My intention when even thinking up this film of ‘Ka Whawhai Tonu’ was to hand back the rights to the whānau and how to do that. There are multiple iwi and hapū here at O-Rākau that fought here and so I was like what’s the best place? So the O-Rākau Trust was the best place and any pūtea that comes from the film after it’s done its run goes back to the trust for the commemorations,” says Jonathan.
According to Jonathan, this is the first time movie rights have been handed over to iwi.
“It’s the first time anyone’s given the rights back to an iwi. It’s awesome, it’s amazing,” says Jonathan once more.
He tīmatanga noa iho tēnei
E ai ki a Shane Te Ruki o Ngāti Maniapoto, he tīmatanga noa iho tēnei mō ngā rautaki e whāngai ana i ngā kōrero tuku iho ki ngā uri whakaheke.
“He tīmatanga noa iho rā tēnei, he huarahi e kua roa e takahia nei e tēnā iwi, e tēnā iwi, arā te whakarauora ake nei i ā tātou kōrero, anā ko te kiriata tētahi o ngā kura e taea e tātou te whakaora ake i a tātou kōrero,” hei tā Te Ruki.
Hei tā Te Ruki, ehakē i te mea me ako ngā uri whakaheke i tētehi taha anake o te pakanga i tū ki O-Rākau, engari me ako i ngā taha e rua kia mārama pūmau rātou i ahatia mai i ngā taha e rua.
“He mea nui kia mōhio pū rātou ki ā rātou taketake, ki ngā kōrero, ki ngā hītori o tēnei takiwā nei, ā, ko O-Rākau Paewai. Me mōhio pū rātou ki ngā kaupapa o ia taha. Ehara i te mea me mōhio rātou ki ō rātou taketake ka mutu ki reira, kāore. Me mōhio anō hoki rā ki ngā rautaki a te karauna, a te iwi Pākehā anō hoki o ērā rautau,” hei tā Te Ruki anō.