Star of Hinemoa Remembers

Tu Tangata, Issue 4, 1 February 1982, Page 31

Star of Hinemoa Remembers

A news item in the Nov/Dec issue of Tu Tangata about the discovery of a Maori film shot in 1925 has prompted much interest concerning the film’s star attraction.

Titled ‘The Romance of Hinemoa’, the film starred Maata Hurihanganui as Hinemoa and a maori wrestler, Akuhato as her lover Tutanekai.

Still living at Whakarewarewa Village, Rotorua and now known as Maata Wickliffe, she has kindly lent the magazine some photographs and publicity material used for the film.

Born at Whakarewarewa on April 26, 1906, Maata was the eldest of five children of Hurihanganui Ngarimu and Karaihe Hori Ngarae. Her tribal affiliations are Ngati Wahiao, Tuhourangi, Ngaiterangi, Ngati Tahu, Ngatiwhaoa.

She has given long service of 20 years as a member of the Whakarewarewa Maori Committee and caretaker of the Wahiao Marae complex.

Maata says the film was a great experience. The Italian producer, Gustav Pauli was visiting the Whakarewarewa Village with Sir James Carroll, the Minister of Native Affairs in Sir Joseph Ward’s Cabinet. Impressed by her beauty he auditioned her for the part. She starred opposite her cousin Matt Hona who played Tutanekai. “He was a great athlete in his time we have worked and played together all our lives”.

The locations for filming varied White Island, Whakarewarewa, the Waitomo Caves, Mokoia Island and as a mock pa site set up opposite the island of Hamurana. Maata Wickliffe is a neice of Maggie Papakura, a famous guide at Whakarewarewa. Guide Maggie lectured on anthropology at Oxford University in England for some time and Maata lived with her there for two years in the early 19205. Maata continues to maintain a deep interest in the social and cultural life of the community.