This premium 8-part series explores the diverse ways in which Food and Soil Sovereignty is being realised in Aotearoa by Māori growers and communities around the motu.
Dr Jessica Hutchings visits Hua Parakore whānau to learn about how and why our current industrialised food system is broken, and the role Māori Food and Soil Sovereignty has in creating meaningful solutions to the climate crisis, food insecurity and ecological breakdown.
The series also explores the ways that growing food and restoring soil is an act of tino rangatiratanga and the revitalisation of Māori ancestral knowledge in practical ways.
From remote, rural māra kai to urban marae to commercially successful farms, each episode is a deep dive into place and the personal stories of whānau who are living and practising Māori Food and Soil Sovereignty in unique ways.
These are stories of regeneration, of engaging and inspiring rangatahi and the wider community through growing, farming, gathering, composting, cooking and eating kai. Interwoven with the social and political context of the Food Sovereignty movement, the character-driven narratives will allow viewers to connect with the ancient vibrations of this land and the food-growing and earth-caring practices of our tūpuna.
The series is live on Whakaata Māori from November 4th - Watch here.
This series was made with support from NZ On Air and Te Māngai Pāho.
We’d like to acknowledge Te Waka Kai Ora as the kaitiaki of the Hua Parakore (Māori organics) system.
This series is based on the book “Te Mahi Oneone Hua Parakore: A Māori Soil Sovereignty and Wellbeing Handbook”, edited by Jessica Hutchings and Jo Smith and published by Freerange Press.
Thanks to Papawhakaritorito Trust and the Asia New Zealand Foundation.
Presented by - Dr Jessica Hutchings (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Huirapa, Gujarat)
Featuring:
Episode 1 - Jacinta Po Ching (Tūhoe, Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui), Jo Smith (Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe, Kāi Tahu), Simon Hirini (Ngā Pōtiki, Ngāi Tū, Te Aitanga-a-Mate), Lani Rotzler-Purewa (Ngāi Tūhoe)
Episode 2 - Catherine Tait-Jamieson (Ngāti Tukorehe) and Jamie Tait-Jamieson from Biofarm
Episode 3 - Papatūānuku Kōkiri Marae, Hineamaru Ropati (Ngāti Hine), Lionel Hotene (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Pūkeko, Ngāti Kahu), Matehaere Maihi (Te Māhurehure Ngāpuhi Nui Tonu), Valerie Teraitua (Ngāti Whātua Ki Kaipara, Ngāpuhi, Rarotonga), Maria Teraitua (Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara, Ngāpuhi me Kuki Airani), Leahana Teraitua Hotene (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Whātua Ki Kaipara, Ngāpuhi, Rarotonga), Carlos Hotene (Ngāti Awa, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua Ki Kaipara), Awhi Tai Tin (Ngāti Hine)
Episode 4 - Pounamu Skelton (Te Ātiawa), Faren Taylor (Ngāti Mutunga, Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Kahungunu), Kiani Nevin (Te Ātiawa), Moana Skelton (Te Ātiawa), Te Kahurangi Skelton-Pue (Te Ātiawa Taranaki, Ngāti Maru), Tony Skelton (Te Ātiawa Taranaki)
Episode 5 - Dr Vandana Shiva, Jo Smith (Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe, Kāi Tahu), Dr M.P.Singh, Shanti Patel, the staff of Navdanya
Episode 6 - Heeni Hoterene (Ngāti Hine), Tohe Ashby (Ngāti Te Tarawa, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Kawa, Ngāti Rāhiri, Ngāpuhi), Tania Niha (Ngāti Hine)
Episode 7 - Edward Ellison (Kāi Tahu), Paulette Tamati-Elliffe (Kāi Tahu, Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Mutunga), Tumai Cassidy (Kāi Tahu, Te Ātiawa, Ngāi Takoto, Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Mutunga), Koreana Wesley-Evans (Kāi Tahu), Oliver Dawson (Kāi Tahu)
Episode 8 - Geneva Hildreth (Ngāpuhi), Gretta Carney (Te Ātihaunui ā Pāpārangi), Te Wānanga o Raukawa
Director - Jess Feast
Writers - Dr Jessica Hutchings, Tainui Stephens, Jess Feast
Producers - Ruth Korver, Libby Hakaraia
Researcher / co-producer - Dr Jessica Hutchings
Executive Producers - Rob Appierdo, Jess Feast
Kaitiaki - Tainui Stephens
Director of Photography - Brandon Te Moananui
Second Camera - Pikihuia Haenga
Additional Camera - Mike Potton, Jason Bob Ropata
Sound Recordists - Joel Anscombe-Smith, Tony Spear, Nigel Gordon-Crosby
Production Managers - Carly Breytenbach, Vanessa Patea
Health and Safety - Louise Spraggon
Editors - Trinity Ludlow-Hudson, Simon Price, Bridget Lyon
Assistant Editors - Kyle Awa, Ethan Thompson
Dialogue Editor / Sound Editor - Yong Le Chong
Assistant Sound Editor - Callum Davidson
Post Producer - Marie Silberstein
Online Editor - Kyle Awa
Colourist - Gareth Evans
Re-recording Mixer - Yong-Le Chong
Post Production Facility - POW Studios
Titles design - Rob Appierdo
Titles font - David Hakaraia
Titles animation - Brett Johansen
Translation - Tainui Stephens, Melanie Nelson
Whakaata Māori Commissioners - Jay Wanakore, Manukaroa Anderson, Kath Akuhata-Brown
Music - Mara TK, Rob Thorne, APRA/AMCOS production music, Artlist production music
India Crew:
Line Producer - Amit Vachharajani - Backpack Films, Anita Vachharajani - Backpack Films
Fixer / On Set Production - Ashish Bora
Camera operator - Vivek Maheshwari
Camera attendant - Rudra Arora
Sound Recordist Sundar Kasturi
Additional Sound - V Sundareswaran
Drone Operator - Sumit
Drivers - Praveen Rao Mandiya, Sanjay Kumar
A huge thank you to everyone who helped to make this series with us, we are so grateful for your contributions.
