Wairaka the bold, Wairaka the courageous, Wairaka the saviour of the Mataatua waka and her people. It was she who uttered the words 'kia whakatane au i ahau - let me act like a man' and dragged the waka to shore and safety. Today she is commemorated as an ancestral meeting house and a whole town is named after her actions, Whakatane. Features: Clarke Jaram (Ngāti Hokopū);
Hōhepa Meihana (Ngāti Hokopū); Matehaere Lawson (Ngāti Hāmua); Adrian Jaram (Ngāti Hokopū); Dinny Jaram (Ngāti Hokopū); Charlotte Hudson Ngāti Hāmua); Tupare Merito (Ngāti Hokopū).
Iconic female ancestors who achieved fame and immortality are celebrated in this six-part series. The series looks at their histories and remarkable achievements through the tribal wharepuni or meeting houses constructed by their descendants to bear witness to these amazing women. Producer Robert Pouwhare of Tangata Whenua TV says many documentaries have been produced about wharepuni named after male ancestors but there is a paucity of information about the females who have been honoured in this way.