Te Whau – Connections to People and Place

This short film is led by local artists Finn Hopley (Ngāti Kahungunu) and Evalesi Tu’inukuafe (Tongan-Samoan). It is inspired by the Te Whau Pou Maumahara at Rata Street Bridge in New Lynn, which speaks to both ancestral knowledge and contemporary meaning.

The project captures voices from familiar faces across the Whau – a CEO of a community organisation which is helping to restore the Whau river, a resident who has called the area home for over 60 years, a couple of community leaders who support and advocate for new migrant groups, and a Pacific youth whose leadership has inspired many – all of these individuals call the Whau their home. Through music, film, and storytelling, this live art project celebrates the Whau’s diverse communities and a shared sense of belonging.

The screening of the short film will take place at the end of November, coinciding with its online release.