The beauty of your actions touch my heart,
to travel so far,
to honor the pact of our ancestors,
and defend
another's tribe!
Thank you,
And yet your journey has been in vain,
It will be,
three thousand versus three hundred,
muskets versus rifles,
and cannons,
Don't fight,
If you, Te Urewera, insist on fighting,
there can only be one outcome,
Death!
Rewi,
our party from Te Urewera have travelled many miles,
to support you and your people,
We have consulted our war god,
and she predicts a blood soaked victory,
We have also captured the first fish for sacrifice,
So here is my word,
in this place let us use our guns and ammunition,
they're a heavy burden,
and I would rather carry,
the glory of battle home with me,
That’s right, Te Whenuanui,
- Indeed, - Yes, that’s right,
It is decided then,
We will make a stand here at O-Rākau,
Go and rouse your people,
we have much to do if we are to have any chance,
Arise, Tūhoe,
My friends unto death,
Our fates are now bound, no matter what,
Awaken,
tongues of fire,
like a flaming demon,
strip you bare,
Nothing will be the same,
All that has been may perish,
at the setting crescent moon,
a crimson sunrise,
the raiding party will be victorious,
And should this enemy soldier be sacrificed now
or later?
No wait,
A death will be offered once the whites' army is sighted,
That is all,
Salutations to you our war god,
Let it be done,
I need to go and tell our chief,
You have returned,
I told Meka,
you knew the boy would come to us,
and you led us to his capture,
Why would you say that?
Because,
Meka may tell the others,
you should be the war-god’s voice for all the tribes here,
Don't look at him,
Don't talk to him,
Hey girl!
Please,
Untie me,
Can you hear me with those?
I can read your lips,
but, I'm not allowed to talk to young people,
or commoners,
Doesn't that get lonely?
Why does your mother make you wear those?
They show I'm sacred,
a sign I’m the spirit channel for the gods,
You are not a god,
Just a half-caste traitor,
And what are you?
I'm the medium for our war god,
Te Paenga-o-te Riri,
I'm not a traitor,
I'm just traveling with my mother,
We're going to see my grandmother,
She's sick,
we're trying to get to her, before she dies,
Maybe your god could help heal her?
My god deals in war, not healing!
Anyway, you talk too much,
We're not so different,
We're both bound by loneliness,
Hey,
greetings Meka,
Did he talk to you?
I have the first kill!
The sacrificial rites are mine!
What's your name boy?
Jack,
So Jack, how far off is your army?
I'm not a soldier,
I'm just trying to get to my grandmother before she dies,
Something I found when the soldiers came to our home,
Something you found?
Show me your hands,
I make cartridges for my uncle for duck shooting,
I'm the best shot in the family,
We smoke the birds and sell them to the whites,
And so you're not white?
My father is,
Was,
Our war god has said there will be a sacrifice,
when we first see the enemy,
We no longer pay tribute to the old gods,
nor do we mutilate the bodies of our enemies,
Tell us Rewi,
is it true,
they burned your women and
children at the massacre of Rangiaowhia?
Now is not the time for revenge,
My concern right now, must be the preservation of my people,
I respect your authority but,,,
He is my sacrifice to make,
Please sir, let me live,
Do as you please!
I have our preparations to worry about,
The British are perhaps,
no more than two days away,
Mohi!
What do you think you’re doing?
You are not a lowly servant,
In time you’ll be a noble chief yourself,
Don't let your grandfather catch you feeding her,
Go away,
I've warned you about trying to make friends,
I wasn't,
You were late and I was hungry,
Think you're the only one the chief's listen to?
Now shut your mouth and get to sleep,
Mama?
Is that you Haki?
Hold onto me,
Look after your little sister no matter what,
Where is she?
Why won't they bring her to me,
What's happening?
The god in Kōpū said you weren't the sacrifice,
and that anyone who hurt you was in danger,
So I can just go?
Thank you,
You're a kind boy,
Even if your grandfather doesn't notice,
My grandfather just wants me to be a warrior,
He says our way of life is in danger,
What the hell have you done?
I spoke the truth,
We're going back out there to talk to Meka,
To tell him, what?
That the boy is the first sacrifice
and he should be killed today,
I'm not you, I don't lie and cheat to get what I want,
We're not from a chiefly family,
You have no father,
I've worked so hard to make this happen,
how many other female god-mediums have you seen? Aye?
None,
-Now get back out there! -No, I never wanted to be this,
I hate it,
Don't you dare destroy all that I've worked for,
Yaa,
Are you all right?
I'm still leaving,
I wanted to say thank you,
for saving me,
Okay, well,
I hope your mother is still waiting for you,
And I hope your grandmother's all right,
So, do you want to, come with me?
It would be good to have someone else to talk with,
to listen to,
When the mussel shell opens to feed,
it risks everything,
They're just shells,
Who are you?
What do you want?
I don't know,
What do you want?
To be normal,
and have friends,
What?
You're a war god in a war,
Adults made me that for an adult's war,
Yes, so,
Friends?
Friends,
Who's the dying woman?
Come on, we need to go,
Wait,
What is it? We need to go!
The god, She's in the box,
Come, we need to go,
We need to get into the fort,
I knew it,
Come here you,
Piece of shit!
You're done now,
You stupid girl!
Meka, I didn't know a thing,
Meka!
Let's go!
Enter the fortress,
Hold,
Don't waste your bullets yet,
Listen now, Get ready,
Don't do it Meka,
You heard what the god said,
Chief!
You can't let Meka do this,
you heard the words of the god,
'Whoever harms the boy will be in danger',
Mine is the glory of the first fish!
I have the first kill!
Hear me, Come to me,
Te Paenga-o-te-Riri,
Awaken,
Hear me,
Rise up,
At the setting of the crescent moon,
the sun revealed his crimson face,
the raiding party will be victorious,
If you defend a fort, who is the raiding party?
You or the attackers?
Her words are all lies anyway,
Te Paenga-o-te-Riri,
Wake,
On that great day, as we strike at the heart of the enemy!
Wake,
Protect me from evil!
Positions get ready,
Ready, hold!
Outer line,
Fire!
Inner line,
Fire!
Go back, you'll get shot!
Go back,
Haki!
Wake up!
Kōpū,
Hurry, wake up,
While Te Whenuanui is distracted,
We must leave!
No,
I'm not leaving, He's my friend and he needs me,
Huh, we'll have plenty more friends,
Stay here, I'm going to check the escape route,
I don't want you anymore,
Ready!
Fire!
Leave me,
I'm going to be free,
Settle down, Settle,
Do not rejoice too much friends,
we have only parried the first dart,
Quick, we are leaving now,
She's gone,
It's all gone,
Bloody hell girl,
Nothing changes, you hear me?
We tell them all you're still a medium for the gods,
We have to go right now!
Don't ever forget,
You're mine!
Chief be careful, the god is angry,
If you hurt the boy,
I'll destroy you,
Just like I did Meka,
Take her to the pit,
It’s still and quiet,
Too quiet,
Stay low, I can still see some movement amongst the trees,
Where's the girl?
Grandad took her,
He had his gun pointed at her like this,
Is she alive?
Why would you even worry about Creepy Kōpū?
Stay alert my friends,
Be ready,
What the hell are you doing back here?
Please can we keep him Grandad?
Can he be my slave?
Sorry grandson,
this half-caste is too slippery,
Tie him up again,
Not too tight,
Is the girl okay?
You bastard,
Come on boys,
We've got work to do,
Let us pray,
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
Amen,
Hail Mary,
full of grace,
the Lord is with thee,
Blessed art thou amongst women,
blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus,
Holy Mary,
mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now,
and at the hour of our death,
Pray for us sinners,
now,
and at the hour of our death,
Amen,
Why do you pray to a white god?
He's not white, he's universal,
Huh? Universal?
I see no omens,
no apparitions,
no witchcraft,
Witchcraft?
You mean like your god medium?
That guy is dead for sure,
East Coast?
Hold up,
I'll send more soon,
Can I help make bullets?
Is that alright?
Why would I care,
Do you want a drink?
One gulp only!
Hey not too fast,
You might embarrass your chief,
First of all, I'm not his chief,
Second of all,
how fast could he go if I break a few of his fingers,
Sir, I could show you how to do it better?
Don't worry about me,
Worry about your bloody self,
Like how about you explain what you did to my god-medium?
Nothing sir,
I don't even know her name,
Kōpū,
Her name's Kōpū,
What do you kids call her?
The other kids call her
Creepy,
Creepy Kōpū!
I was just traveling with my mother to see my grandmother,
Argh, enough telling us about your sick grandmother,
Shut your mouth slave!
One of my best warriors was killed because of you,
and killed using witchcraft!
What the!
See,
more witchcraft!
I knew I should have just killed her,
Not you,
You stay here, and make more bullets,
If I see you outside of this bunker,
I'll shoot you myself,
It’s okay,
Come here granddaughter,
Come inside, Tūrama,
We've been left with the half-caste,
who had sex with our medium,
No, I didn’t,
Yes!
I saw him the other day at the gathering,
Probably no hair on his balls yet, but,
I suppose you can sort of see the attraction,
He looks like my son Jensen when he had pleurisy,
like a skinny white ghost,
What are they saying?
My love,
we have more wounded,
Ewa and Doctor Hooper need your help,
Oh well,
So you're the one?
Uh, hello,
Come my number two husband,
We have wounded to care for,
If you play your cards right,
you could be husband number three one day,
Did her first husband die?
No,
He's an old Dutch man in Whakatāne,
But that's the thing when you're a chieftainess,
you can have more than one husband,
You're a chieftainess too,
aren't you?
Yes mama, You could have two husbands,
One for the front and one for the back,
Jeez, no way!
Sounds bloody exhausting!
Come on finish up,
You're all going to bed soon,
Look what they did to my beautiful Rōpata, My Love,
Can you not hear?
Come, Sit,
Listen,
♪ A different world beckons, ♪
♪ Come friend, take my hand ♪
♪ and lead me to the new day, ♪
♪ So why do I feel so alone? ♪
Where is she, sir?
You see the dry well?
♪ Is that the first glow of dawn I see? ♪
Boy, what are you doing?
Wait,
She saved my life so I need to save hers,
You need to save her?
Really?
You need to because you want to?
Or you need to?
I don't understand?
Are you running to something?
Or away from something?
Sir, can I ask you something?
Yes,
What if people think you're something,
but you're not?
Not what?
Not anything,,,
You're just empty and nothing,
Then, I suppose,
we need to fill ourselves,
with the best of what others think of us,
until we're strong enough,
to go back and find who we really are,
Maybe being a good runner is enough for now,
Take this with you,
Careful with it,
The water will all be gone soon,
Are you ready?
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One,
What is it?
My relations from Tūwharetoa attempting to break through,
Hoping to reinforce us,
Now go,
Run!
You save her?
Is that you, friend?
Yes, Are you okay?
Yes,
I brought some water,
Tie the cord around your wrist and I'll help pull you up,
I knew you'd come for me,
Someone's been watching me,
I've been singing to keep her away,
but I think she's still here,
Nobody's here, Just me,
Climb up,
What is it?
Is it the lizard?
Is it my mother?
It's nothing,
She lies to me all the time,
Hurry, climb up,
There's no lizard,
When I hugged you,
I could see a woman,
She was hurt but she wanted to tell you something,
Stop!
Are you scared of me too?
What then?
You!
Shit!
What do you want, sister?
I'm done with your world of death and destruction,
Point your poisonous tongue somewhere else,
Quick, climb up,
You lied to me,
I'm trying to help you,
You're a liar like my mother,
Climb up! I just wanted to get you out faster,
I don't need your friendship,
Leave me alone,
Stay here and rot then!
What did I tell you boy?
That you'd shoot me if you caught me outside of the bunker,
It was my fault,
I told him to try and get some water for the babies,
It's true, Grandad,
It's empty,
Here, hold Rau,
We're running low on cartridges,
Get those fast hands to work again,
Father, how are we doing?
The reinforcements?
Turned back,
The English are too many,
It's her,
I can feel her witchcraft seeping up through the ground,
She will have to be killed after
the sun rises,
Her spirit would be even more
powerful if she were killed at night,
Be vigilant, stay alert!
Hey kids, let's play a game,
Come on, line up,
The canons have been brought up,
Which one of you has the fastest hands?
Here you go,
For the cartridges,
Peach pits?
All out,
Red dawn,
Your grandfather won't like it,
I should distribute the ammunition,
No, you're not to leave my sight,
Take Mohi with you,
Here, take this my boy,
Fire!
Go back to your grandfather,
Give him more bullets,
Come and meet your end!
What are you doing?
That's my cousin!
Out of the way!
No,
There! Your cousin's going to kill Kōpū,
My cousin,
What has become of us?
That we kill our own with the weapons of our enemy?
Let me stand in the light one more time,
I'm not going to hurt him,
Friends listen!
This is the word of the General,
Great is his admiration of your bravery,
Let the fighting cease,
Come out to us so your lives may be saved,
Friend,
I shall fight against you,
for ever,,,
and ever, and ever!
That is all well for you men,
but it is not right that the women and children should die,
Let them come out,
Get fucked!
Fuck off!
Liar, slaughterer!
When you slaughtered us,
If our men are to die,
the women and children,
will die fighting also!
Charge!
Eat shit!
Bastards!
Everyone,
to the southern end of the fort,
Bring your guns and ammunition,
Move now,
So what the hell was that
"I will fight you for ever and ever and ever" about then?
A strategy,
to buy us some time to prepare for a breakout,
Why wasn't I consulted?
My friend, that's what I'm doing now,
My warriors are ready to fight to the death,
That's exactly what the British want,
a clear victory to confirm their dominion over Māori,
This British type of warfare
isn’t for us warriors,
who seek ancient glories,
but for our people to survive,
that our grandchildren may reap the seeds of hope for a new day,
At least let my men be the tip of the spear in the breakout,
so others might survive,
Thank you brother,
Son,
I failed her,
That's unfortunate,
She doesn't want to be friends with a liar,
Well then,
stop lying,
or lie better,
Greetings dear,
Which way do you want to go?
There's food, water, clothes and prosperity
that way, if you want them?
Oh well,
pain, poverty and struggle without end it is,
Load,
Come, we need to leave,
Come too!
No, I need to find my daughter,
Fire!
Father,
have you seen my daughter?
Have you seen Ewa?
I’m sorry,
Is she still alive?
I'm sorry,
She is dead!
Pray with me sister,
Hold fast!
Together!
Go!
Bind close!
Form together, the head of the spear!
Rise up!
Forward!
Advance!
Bind close!
Stay together for as long as we can!
We move as one!
Quick! Follow me!
What are you doing?
We need to get to the kids,
and keep them safe,
You?
Shoot them!
You take the children,
Go,
Go!
Mama!
Go,
Just go,
I'll catch you up,
The column is split,
O Lord,
save us and visit not this sin upon us,
Lay down, go,
Enough of these white man’s prayers,
I face you,
I warn you,
I subdue you,
remain where you are,
while I fly,
like a bird,
rising high towards the heavens,
Give power to these words!
No!
Hold on my boy, Be brave,
Thank you,
Haki,
We’ve got to go,
Kids come here,
Quiet now,
Stay close together,
Will your mother be near?
Are you going to look for her?
Or was that a lie too?
You can't leave us though aye?
I would never do that,
You and the kids stay here,
What're you doing?
Lying better,
What's happening?
Why are you talking to her?
We’re not allowed to talk to Creepy,
Her name's Kōpū,
not Creepy!
We can talk to her now,
Grandad told me,
she's the reason everything went wrong,
Is my mama dead?
Are we going to die too?
No, of course not,
Kōpū isn’t alone anymore,
She’ll look after us,
She's our friend,
our family,
♪ Clear the sky, make it clear, ♪
♪ Make the rain stop, let the sun shine, ♪
♪ Fly kingfisher, ♪
♪ Onto the puwharawhara plant, ♪
♪ Before the rain fills it and you drown, ♪
Please,
Please make it stop!
Kōpū,
Mohi,
Waiaro,
Haki,
I want to stop hiding,
and be honest, but I’ve been hiding so long,
I saw your mother drinking with the soldiers,
I've chosen my family,
Holy heck,
couldn't you find a Māori horse?
This one's going to stand out like dog's balls,
This is my mother,
That was her that I saw in the vision, yeah?
Her beautiful face all damaged?
What's her name?
Ripeka,
She died two years ago along with my baby sister,
And your father's a soldier?
Yes,
When they married,
he tried his hand at farming,
but he was a much better soldier than a farmer,
So when the war started he went back to the army,
Mama wanted to take baby up north,
but papa wanted them close by,
He said the stockade would be safe,
but while we were chasing the Māori King's warriors,
They doubled back,
and attacked the stockade,
They were shooting through the walls,
They wouldn't have known my mother was there,
and our baby,
After that,
papa changed,
everything changed,
Mama would have known what to do to make him better,
She always knew,
what to say to make you feel all right,
make you feel loved,
Where was she from?
She was captured by a northern tribe when she was a girl,
and grew up as a slave in Northland,
So you don't know where your real tribe is from?
Mama used to sing this to me about her home,
♪ Your stone ♪
♪ teeth grinding, ♪
♪ Your cool ♪
♪ words flowing, ♪
♪ Your dark, bent arms ♪
♪ give shelter, ♪
♪ You are Manahou, ♪
♪ the well spring of my love, ♪
♪ that will never run dry! ♪
Manahou,
We went through a place called Manahou,
on the way to the war,
It's close,
With hills overlooking a lake?
Yes,
Let's go to Manahou,
to find your grandmother,
And get help for Puku,
Yes!
My father said that if I run away again,
he would hunt me down,
and kill everyone that separated me from him,
He would do that?
Once we get Puku help,
I can't be with you anymore,
That's it, Manahou,
It's just like I thought it would be,
I'm leaving with Puku,
What about us?
You need to carry on,
No, we must stay together,
You have to get the other kids as far away from me as you can,
I hope your grandmother is there,
Maybe if you plant them they'll grow,
Never lose your gentle Māori spirit my son,
Kōpū,
what's the matter?
Stay here with the kids,
Keep out of sight,
What's the matter?
I don't know,
Not long now Puku,
there'll be people here that can help,
Good people I reckon, Loving people,
Make it stop,
Stop the pain!
Puku,
No, not you,
I'm sorry,
I'm so sorry,
Please forgive me,
It is my fault,
Puku,
Haki!
I saw your mother,
I saw you too,
I heard what she said,
I’m not a good person,
I’m not a good son,
It's not your fault,
We need to go,
I burnt people alive!
I shot a helpless boy!
I'm the same as him,
No you're not!
I feel your mother's gentle Māori spirit in you,
I love you my friend,
The kids and I need you,
We can start a new life,
No!
Quick, there's no time,
the soldiers are close,
You!
No,
Grandad,
Wait,
My grandson,
my little Puku,
my little Puku boy!
You witch,
it's all your fault!
You said your guns were too heavy to carry home,
How heavy is the body of your grandchild?
If it weren't for Kōpū,
you'd be carrying the bodies of these ones as well,
There's our enemy!
Maybe I've misjudged you,
Only one soldier?
No, There's probably more,
Puku,
Her name is Kōpū,
I won’t abandon her,
She's a true friend,
Really?
Your friend?
Puku,
To once again be the man my mother loved,
Go! Take the children, use that horse as well,
Son of a bitch,
My son,
What if,
your grandmother was from Te Urewera?
Her song,
I think her song's about a little river,
Its stones,
its sound,
its twists and turns,
♪ You are Mangahou, ♪
♪ The well spring of my love, ♪
♪ That will never run dry, ♪
Yes,
Manga-hou, the spring fed stream,
not Manahou!
There's a tiny place on the border of our forest,
called Mangahou
so maybe,
♪ Your stone teeth grinding, ♪
♪ Your cool words flowing, ♪
♪ Your dark, bent arms ♪
♪ give shelter, ♪
♪ Your stone teeth grinding, ♪
♪ Your cool words flowing, ♪
♪ Your stone teeth grinding, ♪
♪ Your cool words flowing, ♪
♪ Your dark, bent arms ♪
♪ give shelter, ♪
♪ Your stone teeth grinding, ♪
♪ Your cool words flowing, ♪
♪ Hold on, ♪
♪ Hold on to the dream, ♪
♪ Hold on, ♪
♪ Until we are free, ♪
♪ Take me to my mountain, ♪
♪ Walk me to my river, ♪
♪ Hold me in my dream, ♪
♪ We will fight forever, ♪
♪ Forever and ever, ♪
♪ Until we are free, ♪
♪ We will fight forever, ♪