Once Were Warriors

Lee Tamahori's 1994 film, Once Were Warriors is the tale of a Maori family struggling to survive in modern day New Zealand. The Heke family lives in a world full of violence, alcoholism, and poverty due to the actions of family patriarch, Jake. Jake's wife Beth and her five children are forced to be subjected to Jake's inability to find a steady job and his lack of self-control during his nightly drinking binges with his friends. Following the oldest child (Nig) moving out to join a gang, the instability continues to escalate resulting in Beth's second born, Boogie, being sent to a youth detention center where he is taught to embrace his Maori roots. Meanwhile, Grace, the eldest daughter must remain at home to witness her mother's beatings at the hands of Jake. She is eventually raped by one of her father's drinking buddies when he brings them home for a party. Her eventual downfall influences Beth to make a drastic change ensuring a better life for her and her children.

Throughout the film there are references to the Maori culture and the ways in which it is interpreted in modern New Zealander society. Jake fails to see the pride in his culture saying he will not lower himself to accepting his family’s past as slaves to the white man. Meanwhile, the rest of the family is able to embrace their heritage yet in very different ways. Nig’s gang is one that prides itself on the Maori tradition and represents their pride with traditional warrior tattoos. Forced into a youth detention center, Boogie is forced to learn Maori martial arts and rituals. At first he rejects the program, but once he is embraced by the head of the program, Boogie thrives and is able to transform himself. Beth’s embrace of her culture can be seen as a practical application of Maori pride. She draws on her tradition to find the courage to stand up to Jake and return to her home island populated by mainly Maori people. While each character has a different way in rejecting or embracing their culture, the film can be seen as a representation of the modern day life for Maori people in New Zealand struggling to find an identity in a changing world.

As an analysis of the struggling Maori identity in New Zealand, the film is superb: it is able to cover each end of the spectrum in an especially realistic manner. Tamahori’s use of graphic violence throughout the film paints a harsh picture of the Heke family life, thus strongly impacting the viewer. As a film intended for a New Zealander audience, Once Were Warriors is unable to really connect with a global audience, though there are universal lessons that can be taken away. The issues of assimilation of a minority group, self-identification, domestic violence, and alcoholism are present worldwide, but the film may refer too much to the Maori culture in representing these themes. Viewers outside of New Zealand may shy away from the film due to unfamiliarity with Maori people and the very realistic scenes of violence, rape, and partying. With that said, there are many aspects of the film that should be valued such as the strong acting performances, cinematography, and use of music to reflect the mood of the scene. Overall, this film is a great representation of the Maori culture that is able to touch viewers in and out of New Zealand.

-Steven Lauter