In August 2007, Director, Ngahuia Wade met up with old school friend, Producer, Maramena Roderick.

Wade was quietly compiling a special whanau CD of songs of her Nanny.
Roderick was completing two documentaries and confided that out there, somewhere, was surely a story of an inspiring Maori woman yet untold.

Wade’s reply: “Well, funny you should say that mate ….”

Over an impromptu backyard catch-up, Ka Haku Au – A Poet’s Lament, the Documentary, was born.

“It was an unprecedented, creative hour. The précis poured on to paper,” says Roderick.
“Often you struggle but in rare times, the choice has already been made for you and when that happens, anything is possible and formula is out the window.”

Ka Haku Au – A Poet’s Lament, the Documentary was filmed over the summer of 2007 through to April 2008 calling upon New Zealand’s new emerging talent of Māori film makers.

Drama director, Julian Arahanga (Turangaarere: the Story of John Pohe; Fish Skin Suit; The Matrix; Once Were Warriors) and Director of Photography, Mike Jonathan, (Hawaiiki; Hunting Aotearoa; MDIY, Tatai Hono) joined Wade and Roderick before casting the net further.

“Without the film budget we still hoped to bring an element of cinematography to this special project. After hearing Kohine Ponika’s story, all our crew came on board with hearts rather than invoices,” says Roderick.

As a television documentary Ka Haku Au – A Poet’s Lament certainly does not follow the tried and tested.
It is a reo Māori drama based on a Māori story as opposed to a mainstream story being adapted into reo Māori.
It is not fiction, invented for drama. Kohine’s story is true.
Even location filming returned to the very places where events occurred; including her house in Turangi.

“Many of her things were still there. An old teapot, her precious pictures, we even found Nanny’s old linen for the bed,” says Wade.

The authenticity continued into story structure.
Rather than an outside narrator employed to tell Kohine’s story, Ka Haku Au – A Poet’s Lament, the Documentary is delivered as first person with the voice of her own granddaughter Ngahuia Wade as Kohine.
The narration is actually quoted from Kohine’s very writings, her diaries, notes, songs and poems. Where this was not possible, her children not only recalled word for word what she said but how she said it.
Our narrator even sings because Nanny Kohine was always singing.

In the music, the story is again unique as a New Zealand documentary with two projects running simultaneously– the music recording in Auckland and the television production in Wellington.

CD Sound Engineer, Dick Reade (The Navigator, Maori Merchant of Venice, and Rain of the Children) not only honoured Kohine Ponika’s distinctive ear but at the same time ensured the documentary production received tracks and exquisite isolated stems for improved sound design.
So exceptional was the result that the CD actually became the soundtrack with whole segments of the documentary edited to audio first, visuals second.

The documentary further resists reliance on archival footage, the standard auto-biography approach and instead recreates key moments of Kohine’s life through drama – played by those with a very personal connection - her family.
All cast were Tūhoe and Ngati Porou.

The character of the child Kohine is played by her great grand daughter, Hohia Wade, the young adult Kohine by her mokopuna, Maria Rangi and the older Kohine by, Niwa Short, her niece.
The role of Sir Apirana Ngata is carried by Tangataiti Rangi, grandson of Wharetini Rangi who was a cousin to Sir Apirana.

“In playing Sir Apirana, Uncle Iti looked over the script; put it down and then adlibbed through his scenes – not because he was uncomfortable with the dialogue but because he knew the story better than anyone. He chose life over lines,” says Wade.

Kohine Ponika, however, still makes her subtle cameos.
She is in the front line of the film archives cultural performance for the Royal Visit in 1970.
In a reel to reel radio interview she describes the impetus for writing the waiata, Ka Haku Au.
It is her voice we hear during the drama re-enactment of the kapa haka practice.
And the real Kohine Ponika appears full screen at the end of the documentary.

“We held back because it needed to be a special moment. When Kohine Ponika appears it is to close her story. She has the last word,” says Roderick.

Production scoured museums, music stores, costume hire and opportunity stores in the quest to find even the smallest prop at budget.

“Head of Wardrobe, Tammy Green (WOW Wearable Arts and too many others to mention) was unstoppable, a formidable force hidden in a pint sized frame. Professional bargain hunters diminish in her presence. No clothes rack is safe,” says Wade.

Post Production editing began in July 2008 with reo Māori editor, Te Rurehe Paki (E tū kahikatea, The New Migration, Meke Mai Waka, AA Torque, MDIY), bringing his own inimitable understanding of Māori language and depth of nuances to the project.

“We don’t accept a compile editor where a script is handed over and they are left to determine what we have shot in the field. We don’t work as a director and editor where the producer comes in for sign off at the end. It is all three, dawn to midnight in that suite debating, examining, disputing, agreeing,” says Wade.

“The first Rough Cut, therefore, is actually a Fine Cut because every perceivable argument has already been placed under the microscope and magnified tenfold.”

Ka Haku Au – A Poet’s Lament, the Documentary, was a gift for all involved.

“We laughed, we disputed, we respected and when we were unsure, we only had to look at her closing moment,” says Roderick.

“She is singing a deeply traditional waiata tawhito. But look a little closer and you’ll realise she’s actually grooving. That’s what inspired us; the joy of difference and not the fear.”