Series Classification: G (General Audiences) | Find the series here
MAURI MOANA: A LIFE FORCE IN DANGER
On the serene shores of Aotea, Great Barrier Island, an ecological crisis is silently unfolding. Beneath the water, Caulerpa brachypus, an invasive algae species, rapidly spreads like a creeping shadow. This toxic invader disrupts the delicate balance of this island's marine ecosystem, endangering not only marine life but als the ancestral fishing practices that have sustained the island's community for generations. Will we let it smother the future of this marine sanctuary and all of Aotearoa?
Filmmaker Nathaniel Howe (Ngāti Rehua, Te Rāwhiti) captures this unfolding disaster with a sense of mystery and rising tension, using rare underwater footage to reveal the scope of the Caulerpa brachypus invasion. Mauri Moana explores not just the ecological threat but also the cultural impact, highlighting the deep bond between tangata whenua, their whenua, and the moana. The inclusion of local voices lends authenticity to the story, while Nathaniel's whakapapa ties to Aotea further anchor the narrative in the urgent need to protect these vital connections.
Credits:
Dir. Nathaniel Howe | Prod: Stevie Davis-Tana
Exec. Producers: Kay Ellmers & Julia Parnell
Photo: Notable Pictures
Photo: Notable Pictures
NZ Film Commission Photo: NZ Film Commission
Te Māngai Pāho Photo: Te Māngai Pāho
NZ On Air Photo: NZ On Air
