Maori Actors In N.Z. Film

Te Ao Hou, September 1964, Page 14

Maori Actors In N.Z. Film The film ‘Runaway’, at present being made in New Zealand, has four young Maoris in the cast. Selwyn Muru (otherwise known as Fred Murupaenga), the artist whose photograph is on the cover of the last issue of ‘Te Ao Hou’, plays the part of Joe, a young man who, fed up with city life, heads back to Opononi determined never to leave home again. There he meets David, the central character in ‘Runaway’, a Pakeha (played by Colin Broadley from Whangarei) who is new to country life. Joe takes David around, introduces him to Maori life—and also introduces him to his sister, Isabel. (Isabel's part is played by the young Auckland singer Kiri Te Kanawa.) David falls in love with Isabel—but she is already in love with a Maori boy, Tana. (Tana is played by Sam Stevens from Opotiki, a teacher at Balmoral Intermediate School in Auckland.) The other Maori actor in the film is the entertainer Rim D. Paul from Rotorua. Rim plays the part of an entertainer who is Joe's brother; in the film Joe is always proudly telling people about his talented brother. One Episode Filmed at Opononi As well as these four actors, all with fair-sized speaking parts, many of the Maori people of Opononi took part in the film as extras; when the film company visited Opononi recently they were made very welcome, and the local people put on a dance, a hangi, and other events specially for the benefit of the cameramen. ‘Runaway’, one of the very few films so far made in this country, sounds as if it will be a most interesting production. The first public showing of the film is due to take place in Auckland next October. ? Here is an encouraging educational statistic: from 1959 to 1963 the number of Maoris in Upper Sixth forms each year was round about 24. This year, according to figures supplied by the Education Department, there has been a sudden increase to 41. All these students have university entrance and a good many of them will probably go on to university. ? Major Brian Mataura Poananga, m.b.e., is at present attending a course at the Joint Services Staff College in Britain. This college is designed to enable selected senior officers of all services to study together the techniques of combined operations. One New Zealand Army office is selected to attend approximately every two years; this is the first time that a Maori officer has been chosen for the course. Major Poananga has had a distinguished military career, serving with the occupation forces in Japan at the end of World War II and later on active service in Korea and Malaya. He was awarded the M.B.E. for his services in Malaya. Major Poananga is accompanied overseas by his wife, who is English born. An older brother, Major Bruce Poananga, is serving as a United Nations Military Observer in Palestine.