In a black-and-white photograph, a Māori woman speaks into a microphone in front of a crowd. Her fist is raised defiantly in the air.

In yellow font, the text reads: "The Haka Party Incident."

1h 28m

NEW. From visionary director Katie Wolfe comes an unflinching documentary of a forgotten history retold from every side.

Available to watch in Aotearoa / New Zealand.

Made with support from RNZ, NZ Film Commission, Tasman Ray Productions, Images & Sound

Series details.

Credits

Katie Wolfe (Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Toa Rangatira)
Writer, Director, & Producer
Tim Balme
Producer

From visionary director Katie Wolfe comes an unflinching documentary of a forgotten history retold from every side.

On 1 May, 1979, a group of young Māori and Pasifika activists, He Taua, confronted a gathering of University of Auckland engineering students as they rehearsed a 'mock' haka for their annual capping stunt.

The fracas that followed promoted the nation to confront systemic racism and begin to make change for a better and more equal partnership between Pākehā and Māori.

Feature documentary The Haka Party Incident continues the conversation started in 1979 and reinvigorated by Katie Wolfe in her verbatim stage play of the same name that toured nationally in 2023 to sold-out performances. She commented:

"I first read about the incident in Ranginui Walker's book Ka Whawhai Tonu Matou, the only New Zealand history book to mention what had remained a relatively hidden story in mainstream history. This confrontation was the perfect story to extend the focus of much of my work, the intersection between Māori and Pākehā. Haka is not only at the centre of this historic incident but forms the film's structure."

The film uses archival and contemporary interviews with people who were directly involved, including Ben Dalton, Hone Harawira, Hilda Halkyard-Harawira, Brent Meekan, David Merritt, and Ian Gibson, along with guests including Dr. Ranginui Walker and the late Mitzi Naim. They reflect on the significance and impact this had on shaping the contemporary relationship in Aotearoa between Māori and Pākehā.

Awards

Sydney Film Festival 2025

Official Selection

LA Independent Woman Film Awards

Human Rights Award

Māoriland Film Festival 2025

Official Selection

imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival 2025

Official Selection

Birrarangga Film Festival 2025

Official Selection

Pápa International Historical Film Festival 2025

Official Selection

New York International Women Festival 2025

Documentary Feature

Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival 2024

Official Selection

Funded by

RNZ

Funded by

Tasman Ray Productions

Funded by

Images & Sound

Funded by

NZ Film Commission

Get in touch

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