Once the sacred guardian of New Zealand’s native forests, the huia was a symbol of the land’s unique beauty and spirituality. The rare bird’s tragic extinction in the early 1900s represents a shot to the heart of Aotearoa (New Zealand) and is a potent metaphor for a country’s conflicted history. Using the story of the untimely extinction of the huia, J. Ruka offers a fresh perspective on the narrative of Aotearoa; a tale of two cultures, warring worldviews, and the things we lost in translation. Revisiting the early missionaries, the transformative message of the gospel and the cultural missteps of the Treaty of Waitangi, Huia Come Home invites us to reconnect with the unique story offered by the indigenous Māori lens. In relearning our history, we might just find a shared hope for the future and a recovery of national treasures once thought to be extinct.
Audio Production by Te Umu Nui.
Music by J. Ruka.
Re-creation of the huia call by Henare Hāmana (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Ngāti Porou) Recorded by the New Zealand Broadcasting Service 1949. Copyright Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision.
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