Eagle vs Shark Taika’s ticket to Hollywood

A packed out audience at the Egyptian Theatre in Salt Lake City is now watching the premiere of film-maker Taika Waititi's first feature, Eagle versus Shark, at the Sundance Film Festival.

Co-producer Ainsley Gardiner says there is a big buzz around the film and around Waititi, whose two previous short films, Two Cars One Night and Tama Tu, have already screened at the prestigeous festival.

She says Waititi started his day on a high note, being named in trade bible Variety as one of the 10 directors to watch in 2007.

“It means big things in the industry here and it probably means even more so that Taika has access to this industry if he wants a career in Hollywood, which is not entirely what he’s after, but any publicity for the film creates a groundswell,” Ms Gardiner says.

Distributor Miramax will release the Film Commission-funded Eagle vs Shark in the United States on June the first, and it will get a New Zealand season later in the year.

LATIMER JUSTIFIES FOREST SUIT

Maori Council chairperson Sir Graham Latimer says the Government needs to learn to respect the rule of law.

The council and the Federation of Maori Authorities has asked the High Court to stop the government taking land in the Kaingaroa Forest administered by the Crown Forest Rental Trust to use in a Te Arawa land claim settlement.

Sir Graham, who also chairs the trust, says it was set up in 1989 as a negotiated settlement after the Crown was unable to prove it owned the land under the state forests it wanted to sell.

He says the government is putting the claim settlement process at risk.

“Our biggest concern and Maori’s biggest concern is to get ourselves consolidated. We’re in a better position than we were in in 1989 and I’m certain we can deal with the claim far more efficiently than anyone else, and the Crown, the bureaucracy needs to step back and leave things alone,” Sir Graham says .

He says the Crown should wait for the Waitangi Tribunal to say who should own the forest land.

POLITICIANS TOUT WARES AT RATANA

Ratana Pa today played host to politicians from both sides of the political divide.

National Parly leader John Key went on to the marae near Wanganui this morning, while Prime Minister Helen Clark led a large group of Labour MPs and supporters on this afternoon.

But Waatea News reporter Ruia Aperahama says the person the morehu or church followers wanted to see was King Tuheitia, who is being welcomed on about now.

Mr Aperahama says King Tuheitia's presence at the annual hui is a sign of the importance of Ratana in keeping alive the dream of Maori unity or kotahitanga, irrespective of tribal affiliation.

“This has been an ongoing dream, an aspiration which started back in the 19th century, the rise of our early prophets, and most of the early prophets like Whiti, Tohu, Tawhiao, Te Tooti, Te Ua Haumene, most of the descendants still come back here and celebrate, and those are some of the networks this movement shares,” Mr Aperahama says.

RATANA FIRST ON MAORI CALENDAR

Former Labour MP John Tamihere says the annual Ratana January hui maintains its importance as the first major event in the Maori hear because of the dignity and hospitality of its hosts.

It's also an important meeting place for the morehu or church members from around the country and for other Maori who wish to show support for the church's social aims.

Mr Tamihere says it's an environment where Maori set the rules, and that is positive.

“They're just extraordinarily humble people in receiving all delegations regardless of where you’re from, who you’re from, what you look like, and hw you’ve composed yourself, as long as you reciprocate their dignity and their standards, which by and large it’s hard not to do there. It’s extraordinary experience,” Mr Tamihere says.

He says the visit to the marae by National leader John Key shows that party now understands if it is to have any chance of regaining the treasury benches, it needs to come to terms with the role Maori will play in the country's future.

PAIR SECURE HEALTH RESEARCH FUNDS

Two Maori researchers have received grants for the Health Research Council to further their studies into issues of importance to Maori.

Emma Wyeth from Otago University received the Eru Pomare Research Fellowship to investigate Maori health experiences in the South Island and views on genetic research.

Cheryl Smith from Whanganui has been awarded the Erehapeti Rehu-Murchie fellowship in Maori health.

Aroha Haggie, the council's Maori group manager, says Dr Smith will look at the health of what has always been an important if overlooked group in Maori society, grandparents who become full time caregivers to their mokopuna.

“Cheryl is doing a piece of work that’s very new and innovative and something that we are sure will be able to provide us with some really good information as well as the opportunity to look at other areas and ask other questions that will contribute to our health outcomes,” Ms Haggie says.

PARENTS URGED TO FRONT UP FOR KIDS

A support group for parents in Wellsford is encouraging Maori parents to front up if their children get into trouble at school.

Fraser Toi says too often Maori parents won't turn up when they are asked by the principal or board of trustees to discuss their child's bad behaviour.

He says Te Roopu Whakamana encourages Maori parents to put their names forward on school boards of trustees.

It also promotes Ngati Whatua tikanga and runs treaty workshops.
Mr Toi says Maori parents sometimes need support to overcome their shyness.

“30 years that I've been here, seeing the same problem, how our Maori parents are reluctant to go in and face the issues concerning their children and of course as a result out children suffer. Quite often the issues aren’t major, but they’re enough to deter them,” Mr Toi says.