BOYSetting the scene

BOY is set in the small town of

Waihau Bay on the East Cape of

the North Island

It is the home town of the film’s

director, Taika Waititi.

small community

5 hours drive from Auckland

rural

simple living

no cellphone coverage

Maori predominantly lived

in rural areas until a major

shift in Maori urbanisation

from the 1970s.

Maori lived primarily

within their own tribal

districts.

Waihau Bay falls under

the Te Whanau - A -

Apanui tribe.

Pop culture - 1980’s

Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ - 1983

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial - 1982

Dallas, Dynasty & Falcon Crest were prime TV

soap operas during the 1980s

Pop culture - NZ

‘Hine e hine’ instrumental used to play during the

Goodnight Kiwi segment

‘Poe E’ - Patea Maori Club: became an iconic

Kiwi song and proved significant in putting Maori

song/culture on the international stage - the song

speaks of a fantail flying through the forest

Billy T James - iconic New Zealand entertainer

Powhiri: a formal Maori

welcome onto a marae

Marae is a sacred meeting

house which symbolises

tribal identity

Maori battalion

All-Maori frontline infantry unit

during WWII

Fought alongside other NZ

soldiers in several campaigns

covering Greece, Crete, Egypt,

Syria, Tunisia, Libya and Italy

Made up entirely of volunteers

Almost 3,600 men served

overseas with the Maori Battalion

between 1940 and 1945 and of

those 649 died.

Mihimihi (mihi):

Introductory speeches which take place at the

beginning of a gathering, after the formal powhiri

Establish links with other people present

Speaker introduces themselves by sharing their

whakapapa (genealogy) and other relevant

information

It is important for Maori to know and share their

whakapapa; to know one’s whakapapa is to know

one’s identity

Whangai

Literal meaning is ‘to feed’

Pakeha interpretation of it is ‘adoption’ although there is

no legal exchange between the two parties

In Maori and Pacific Island cultures, it is common for the

eldest grandchild to be given to their grandparents to

raise

Parents can take back their children at any time, no

questions asked

Controversial topic - Maori customary practice vs the law

Your task

Write your own mihi stating:

Your name

Where you live/come from

Ethnic background

Your family (parents, siblings, e.t.c)

Your likes

Anything else you would like to share