Overview
The tribes of Whanganui take their name, their spirit and their
strength from the great river which flows from the mountains of the
central North Island to the sea. For centuries, people have
travelled the Whanganui River by canoe, caught eels in it, built
villages on its banks, and fought over it. The people say, 'Ko au
te awa. Ko te awa ko au' (I am the river. The river is me).
I Am the River traces the journey of the Partington
collection of 19th century photographs of Whanganui Maori. The 2001
chance discovery of these previously unknown photographs in a
garage in the Bay of Islands provides a rare visual insight into
19th century NZ history and forged a link between Maori in the
present with Tupuna in the past.
However, it provoked a cultural clash that pitted Maori and
Pakeha views of ownership against each other. Directors McNeill and
Cutore documented the events with its surprising resolution.
Winner, Best NZ Feature Documentary, Best NZ Cinematography and
Best NZ Editing awards, Documentary Edge Festival 2011.
2010 / 51min
Saturday 14 July - 1pm
Auditorium - free
