Ruahine: Stories in Her Skin

Initially screened at MWFF 2021, to celebrate MWFF’s 10th anniversary this year we revisit Hiona Henare’s beautifully lyrical and intimate documentary closes in tightly on the art and meaning of tatau in ‘Ruahine: Stories in Her Skin’.

For Māori women receiving their traditional moko kauae (chin tattoos), they are visually asserting their birthright and identity while celebrating the mana (spiritual power) of their whakapapa (ancestry). Taking viewers inside two moko kauae ceremonies, Ruahine explores the powerful and personal reasons for women getting the tattoo, the practice once suppressed through legislation and now experiencing a resurgence. Henare’s access delivers an uninhibited and unobstructed experience, filled with traditional songs and story.

The film is followed by a conversation with filmmaker, Hiona Henare and MWFF programmer, Sonja Hammer.