Featuring some of New Zealand’s acting greats, this confronting new Māori drama will resonate with those familiar with iwi politics.
The opening scene of End of the Valley sets the mood for a tense, emotionally charged drama. A distraught Kaea Williams (Matia Mitai) stumbles through the forest at night, desperately searching for a way out. A metallic click – the unmistakable sound of a gun being loaded – freezes him in place. Williams gasps in shock, and then… nothing. Does he die? Who is there? Why are they after him? It’s an electrifying start that hooks viewers immediately.
Produced by Richard Curtis (Ahi Kā, We Are Still Here), Whakaata Māori’s six-part scripted drama, almost entirely in te reo Māori, is focused on two competing land claims for the fictitious Taukiuki Forest and its surrounds. Te Pāhua Incorporated – led by Kaea’s grandfather Taungaroa Williams (Temuera Morrison) – is on a mission to defend their claim over the land, battling against the Ngāti Kiokio hapū, who live in the remote Tāniko Valley.
The start of the series is full of loaded guns, both literally and metaphorically. There is a mysterious health condition affecting Kaea, a pending partnership with a law firm, disease impacting the health of the forest, a mystic man in a wheelchair, a room full of taonga, someone named Goldie, and of course, the question of what will happen with the claims.
It’s hard to think of any other show that so aptly captures the tensions between corporate iwi executives and those at the flaxroots. The contrasts portrayed in the first two episodes perfectly illustrate both the stark differences and crossovers between the two groups. While Taungaroa is out playing golf and plotting his next move, Ngāti Kiokio kaumātua Taumata (Tomika Whiu) is busy worrying about pending water shortages. The subplots strike a chord for those familiar with the everyday realities of life in rural Māori settings. It is a brilliant writing debut for Curtis and fellow writer/producer Lea Mclean (Ka Whaiwahi Tonu, Beyond the Veil).
Director of photography Mike Jonathan has done an incredible job capturing the beauty of the Rotorua whenua the series is filmed on, a lot of which is usually (and quite fittingly) inaccessible to the public. The set effortlessly shifts from the corporate offices of Te Pahua to woolsheds to deep bush scenes featuring majestic trees and awe-inspiring awa – all of which perfectly set an intense, yet authentically Māori tone.
As an acquisitions lawyer working for Te Pāhua, Kaea and his partner Maika (Michaela Te Awa Bird) are instructed to head to the isolated Tāniko Valley to see if they can help the two groups reach a deal outside of the courts. The duo is met with a hostile welcome, being referred to as the “hāwini”, or “lapdogs” of Te Pāhua. Things soon take a sinister turn after Kaea and Maika are split, with locals Hāni (Kataraina Howden-Borell) and Ngāhuia (Roimata Fox) not taking kindly to their presence.
While the writing, setting, and production are all great, the only criticism I have is that there is the odd moment where it feels as though the actors lack conviction or a transition feels slightly rushed. The story does develop rapidly over the first two episodes, which keeps things interesting but can also make for convoluted viewing at times. However, these are relatively minor discrepancies in an otherwise masterful display of powerful storytelling and beautiful cinematography.
All-in-all, End of the Valley is an example of authentic and high quality by Māori, for Māori storytelling. As someone who was raised in and around iwi politics, the themes resonate more than I care to admit. With all six episodes now out on Māori+, I will be binging the show over the weekend and undoubtedly waiting patiently for a second season.
All six episodes of End of the Valley are available now on Māori+ and will be screened on Whakaata Māori over the next six weeks at 9pm on Thursday evenings.
