KA WHAWHAI TONU - STRUGGLE WITHOUT END

New Zealand, 2024, 115 minutes, Colour.

Temuera Morrison, Paku Fernandez, Hinerangi Harawira-Nicholas, Jason Flemyng, Ariana Smith, Te Wakaunua Te Kurapa, Cliff Curtis, Jack Barry.

Directed by Mike Jonathan.

The middle of 2024 was a significant time for the release of significant New Zealand films, significant films with Maori themes. Firstly, Lee Tamahori completed his trilogy which began with Once Were Warriors in 1994, and his going back to the 1930s, the tribal warfare, the establishment of colonial towns, conflicts, The Convert. Soon after came the contemporary story The Mountain, directed by Rachel House, symbol of Mount Taranaki and three 11-year-olds wanting to climb it, opening up themes of Maori lore. And now this film with its Maori title, boldly asserting Maori language and presence, and an English subtitle, Struggle Without End.

The action of this film moves thirty years on from the 1830s of The Convert. This is a time of rebellion, a gathering of tribes, a rebellion, the taking of a stand at a fort, the attack of the British colonial soldiers, the onslaught, a subjugation.

Again, as with The Convert, the cinematography of the New Zealand landscapes is beautiful and significant. As is the musical score.

The context of the narrative is the gathering of the tribal leaders, discussions about war, possibilities for peace, the significant leader, Rewi (played by Temuera Morrison 30 years after his significant role in Once Were Warriors) is fierce, traditional beliefs, but acceptance of Christian faith (and a cameo from Cliff Curtis as a priest, Curtis also being a star of Once Were Warriors), wanting the possibilities for peace. However, there are other fierce Warriors who want action, bloodshed.

This is the framework for a central narrative which focuses on a teenage lad, Jack (an effective performance from Paku Fernandez), Maori mother, White soldier father (Jason Flemyng) who is captured, bound and gagged, telling a story of simply wanting to visit his grandmother. Also in the camp is a young woman who is considered to have special powers, contact with the gods, visions. She is Kapu, manipulated by her ambitious mother, set in a kind of shrine, special garb and head coverings, having some mystical experiences and visions, but also young and lonely.

Most of the language of the film is Maori but, just as we might be thinking of Romeo and Juliet, a moment of English-language actually refers to “star-crossed lovers”. So, with the expected sequences, brutal as they are, of the British soldiers’ advance, of the fort defence, of massacre, there is also the story of Jack, at first skilfully helping with making the bullets, but then an escape with some of the younger people from the Fort.

But, there are moral dilemmas for Jack, rejoining his military father, memories of his own service and some of the brutality he had to participate in, at a crossroads in his life, the impact of his British military upbringing, his love for his mother and sadness at her death, and an option for following his Maori heritage.

In many ways, the colonial-Maori clash is as expected, but is enhanced by the personal, young story at its core. And, at the end, there is information about the decline in the Maori population during the 19^th century, but also about the changes and developments in place for Maori peoples at the end of the century into the present.

1. The title, the Maori language, Maori-assertion, history? For the Maori audience, for the wide New Zealand audience, beyond New Zealand?
2. Audience knowledge of colonisation in the 19^th century? The British, the towns, the impact on the Maori peoples, tribal warfare, Treaty of Waitangi, the uprisings and rebellions, the massacres, the 19^th century history, the beginning of the increase of the Maori population, rights, place in New Zealand society?
3. The 1860s, Britain as a colonial power, the soldiers, the forts, weapons, rifles and muskets, uniforms, distinctive? Recruiting among the Maoris? Intermarriages and children? The film’s focus on the uprising, the oncoming British forces, the shooting and deaths? The final colonial victory? The consequences?
4. The gathering of the Maori warriors, Rewi and his leadership, status, personality, the Maori markings, his language, yet his wanting peace, the Christian traditions, his relationship with the priest, the singing of hymns? In the tradition of the gods, the regional and tribal gods, mystic communications?
5. The other warriors, their fierceness, wanting war, taking of Jack, wanting him to be a sacrifice, the fierceness of the warriors, but their possessing the weapons, readiness to fight?
6. The place of Kopu? Her age, set aside by her mother, her mother’s ambitions, as channelling the gods and power? Her adornments, alone? The trances and visions? Yet her not wanting this position, rebelling against her mother? Her mother’s aggressive power? Her mother later with the soldiers?
7. Jack, the gradual revealing of his background, his Maori mother and grandmother, his father a soldier, Jack and the army, his being captured, truth and lies, saying he was going to see his grandmother, his being bound and gagged, speaking to Kopu, engaging her sympathy, sharing his loneliness? With the warriors, those wanting him to be sacrificed, those for keeping the peace?
8. The younger members of the Maori group, boys and girls, their status? The baby? And the role of the older women?
9. Under siege, the making of the bullets, Jack and his skills, working? His attempts at escape? Being returned?
10. The advance of the British, the role of Jack’s father, seeing him in the flashbacks, in command, ruthless? The advance, shooting, the many deaths? The remnant?
11. Kopu, interactions with Jack, his offering to help her escape, with the young children, the escape, through the bush, hiding, the pursuit of the soldiers? The young boy wounded, their carrying him? The vision of the town where Jack came from? The song? The findings, all the dead? Another town, the different letter in spelling?
12. Jack, leaving the group, going back, his father finding him, his salute, his role with the Army, memories of his mother in the flashbacks, his conscience, his father commanding him, especially the people in the hunt, his setting fire, his father getting him to shoot the victim? His father’s love for him, his sternness? Jack, making decisions, the escape?
13. Jack with the horses, rejoining the young ones, the death of the boy? The arrival of Jack’s father, the confrontation? The arrival of the warrior? their fight, the sword, the cudgel, the deadly fight? The death of Jack’s father?
14. The consequences, Jack and his future, his options, with Kopu and the children?
15. The consequent information about the putting down of the Maori peoples, gradually increasing in number, during the 20^th century, to the present day?