The Māori of Aotearoa have a long history of being marginalized, and this historic figure, Meri Hohepa was a hero of the Māori, she was a legendary figure for them and frequently placed herself as a buffer between the colonizing power of the crown, and the native population. However, because the Wanganui River is very isolated, and hard to get to, New Zealand had done little to really raise consciousness of this story. We wanted to bring her story to all of New Zealand, not just the communities which she served. Her name should be well known throughout the entire country.
Building a strong relationship with the Ngāti Hau and Compassion te Pūaroha, and gaining access to archives, we dove deep into research and interviews, documenting stories of those whose lives Meri Hohepa impacted and the history of the Te Ara she served.
We produced and premiered an accessible documentary which was embraced by the wider community of New Zealand, recognizing Meri Hohepa as a major historical figure of Aotearoa.
Leticia talks about her work with inmates in the New Zealand prisons, listening to their life stories with compassion and holding space for them.
A woman signs a poem about Meri Hohepa.
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