A Synopsis of the Production

The Treatment Programme 1 We are at the Auckland Museum, the guests of the Board of Trustees and ethnologist Roger Neesh and Dr. David Simmons. Sir Paul Reeves, Ngapuhi, the Iwi of Kaipara Harbour, Ngarauru and the Robley granddaughters are all in attendance with the Museum's beloved Mokomokai collection. We have come to ask the Mokomokai to help us in our international travels to negotiate the return of their brothers and sisters. We Karakia and sing them Waiata and our Ringatu ministers and inter-denominational ministers share our prayers and aspirations. We are at the homes of three sisters, all Maori, who are preparing to go in search, a pilgrimage, to find their English Koroua. His name is Horatio Gordon Robley, known at the turn of the century for his fascination with Mokomokai and his collection of them. Tim Walker, who wrote a book on Robley, was instrumental in bringing the sisters this knowledge. It is greeted differently by each of the sisters, but the overriding sense is that of curiosity. So they are off to find the Mokomokai that their ancestor collected, in the hope it will bring them more understanding of Robley and their English ancestry. This is broken by the sight of two Taiaha-wielding Maori warriors fighting in traditional garb. One warrior falters and the victor delivers the killing stroke. MOKOMOKAI "Te Hokinga Mai" On the plane, the whanau sorts out who will do what when they arrive at their first destination. We interview the curators at The Smithsonian, Washington DC and The American Museum of Natural History in New York to get their official stances on the Mokomokai in their collections. Sir Paul Reeves has agreed to act as the guide for the sisters on their journey, as he has also studied Mokomokai for many years, and since Maui has passed on it is logical. After New York they travel to The United Kingdom and then on to Europe. In England they have been invited to speak at a Symposium of Indigenous Peoples on the repatriation of human remains. They will meet representatives of the House Of Commons to discuss the return of heads in British Collections. Representatives from Te Papa Tongarewa are also part of the party that will present papers at the forum. The three sisters examine how they feel about their English Koroua. A computer generated package for the display of Mokomokai is presented. The computer-generated audio-visual experience has been designed by the late Maui Pomare and Maui Dalvanius Prime. The group are offering this package to Museums to replace the collections being uplifted. It is the culmination of the work of Maui Pomare, the dream that he had for the people of not only this nation but the world - that the Mokomokai are curated in such a way that people reach an understanding. We meet staff of Christies, Sothebys, and Bonhams in New York and London who have been offered heads for sale. In Washington DC we are hosted by a high-profile U.S. Senator who is spearheading our American negotiations. We interview New Zealand Members of Parliament and re-enact the New Zealand Parliament decision in 1906 to refuse the Robley collection. We look at Lindauer and Goldie and their fascination for Moko as well as the infamous Horatio Gordon Robley's portraits depicting Mokomokai and their preparation. We talk again to the Robley sisters who thought their grandfather was a head collector when in fact he tried to sell his collection back to the Government. Tim Walker talks about Robley's repatriation campaign. We also look at the Robley great great-grandchildren who are carving a headstone for their Tipuna. Was he in fact the first true repatriator of Maori heads? While in London we lay the headstone on Robley's unmarked, pauper's grave.

Programme 2 This programme starts with a traditional Poi Karakia from Taranaki performed by a kapa haka troupe. We see a montage of the museums of the world as a Paeke explains the Poi Karakia. We see Hongoeka Marae by the seaside in Plimmerton and a little cottage set on top of a hill. We talk to the Tohunga who consecrated the urupa where the largest collection of heads outside of the world museums is held, at Te Papa Tongarewa. MOKOMOKAI "Kei whea ra koe?" Ra Pomare is walking along the road at Hongoeka. He tells us of the work of his father, Maui Pomare, and we walk up the hill. Louise Pomare and her daughter Miria meet us and talk of the work of Maui. We see Cliff Whiting in his office at Te Papa Tongarewa working on the new museum project. David Simmons is at the cottage with his niece Kay and Louise. They discuss the working frustrations in trying to repatriate Mokomokai and being Pakeha. We meet Maori curators at museums throughout Aotearoa and talk with Ngai Tahu on their policy of repatriation, discussing frankly their suspicions and distrust of Pakeha experts and why they are so upset at them. We meet Tim Walker, the author of the Robley biography. Robley, being inspired by the Moko patterning artwork of the Mokomokai held throughout the world in public and private collections. We talk to a Pakeha family in South Taranaki who had a Mokomokai in their family for over forty years. It had its own pillow. It has been returned to the iwi of Ngarauru. Are they guilty for the sins of there forefathers? We talk to an elder whose grandfather had to prove he was a landowner identifying the 'meat' collecting places of the Ngarauru. We talk to Miria Pomare about their father's obsession with the heads. We go to a tattoo parlour to meet and interview the young urban Maori who are adorning themselves in works of art inspired by Mokomokai, having a sense of pride in themselves and their Moko. We see and meet people who chastise tattoo-wearers because the Moko is considered to be Tapu, does Tapu have relevance in today's rural and urban Maori society? We discuss the policies and the fear of international museums that repatriation of the Mokomokai will result in there being a "run" created on their collections and every culture demanding the return of their treasures. We talk to the Indian, Aboriginal and Hawaiian members of our Ope who will accompany us overseas. All three groups have had a large number of their ancestral remains returned to them from the Museums we are negotiating with. The academics explain why it is important to humanity that artefacts like Mokomokai be studied as a science, why in fact that they be examined. The iwi explain how it is important for the family that these Mokomokai be returned home to rest, the grief that they should reside elsewhere, the bewilderment when understanding that most Mokomokai are in fact unidentifiable, and in some cases wear counterfeit Moko and also some are in fact Pakeha. We ask Joe Doherty, and ethnologists from Auckland and Wellington about the iwi's attitude to museums holding the heads. We discuss D.N.A testing with a police forensics expert and friend of Maui Pomare. We also talk to woman who has studied and is writing her thesis in the field of whakapapa through D.N.A. testing. We talk to Ra about how he felt about his father's work when he transferred the heads from the old museum to the new. We interview priests who want the heads buried as soon as possible. The counter-argument of young Maori who want them put back up in the caves where they were stolen from. We interview young Maori contemporary artists who draw, paint and carve the Mokomokai. We are taking some of these to swap on our trip overseas. We end with a list of the 39 repatriations achieved by Maui Pomare. Following the journals of Horatio Gordon Robley, we see a dead warrior being preserved by the Tohunga. The head being severed from the body. The whanau comes and takes away the trunk of the body. We see a taxidermist in a laboratory. The taxidermist explains how long the preserved body of an animal will last if treated in that manner. David Simmons explains what he knows about the actual preservation process used for Mokomokai and how it differs from modern methods. We see Walter Waipara at Te Papa Tongarewa cataloguing the Mokomokai held in the sacred vault, and hear a few of the stories of repatriation. We see close up details of tukutuku and carvings for the wharenui and see the master carver and weaver at work. We hear their views on carvings in a wharenui. Time has passed in the village of the dead warrior. We see the Tohunga approach the wharenui with the now completed Mokomokai of the dead warrior. The Mokomokai is hung on one of the poles by his long hair in the wharenui. The whanau rejoice and celebrate. They occasionally swing their beloved Mokomokai in their exuberance. We hear Haka and Waiata (Tuhoe and Ngarauru) performed by iwi when warriors come back from war with the heads of their loved ones and the Taurekareka which they swing high. These antics told to Maui Dalvanius Prime and members of the Ngati Poneke Culture Group by the late Kingi Ihaka and Ngoi Pewhairangi. Why did Ngoi Pewhairangi use the words 'Pioioi a' in her composition "Poi-E". We explore the use of human remains for musical instruments and the Waka Tupapaku as well as the ancient and young artists making them today. We feature the musical talents of Hirini Melbourne an exponent of the instruments of our ancestors. We talk about Makutu - did Maui Pomare die from an ancient Maori curse because he handled these Mokomokai? Some people have told his widow that's exactly what happened.

Programme 3 The programme begins with the Karanga of a new dawn, and we see the ritual of burying the pito of a newborn child by a contemporary Maori whanau. We hear the chanting of the oriori mingle with the dull drone of traffic. The Tohunga explains the significance of the act, how the child is bound to Papa and she to the child, the life force of the bond. The Tohunga explains the meaning of "Mokopuna", one who is a reflection of one's ancestors. "MOKOMOKAI" Dr. Michael King talks about his study of women's Moko, and about the exploits of the Austrian taxidermist Andreas Reischek. We meet the Maori Women's Group who have Mokomoko carved on their bodies, and discover the reasons why. We see Walter driving up to work at Te Papa Tongarewa (National Museum of New Zealand) in Wellington. He explains how he first came into contact with the Mokomokai. We follow him through the labyrinth of corridors. We join a group of tourists as they go through the wharenui and we hear the museum guide talk about the whare being the body of the ancestor. We see the dead Maori warrior being revered by his whanau, and hear the cries of grief as the Tangi commences. We see the grounds of the Auckland Museum and pick up the figure of David Simmons as he exits and follow him as he drives home. He explains how his journey with the Mokomokai began and what drove him to travel the world finding out how many heads there are in overseas museums. He gives his account of what he believes to be of significance. We see the dead warrior being laid out on the Marae. The wharenui are very plain with thatched roof and unadorned poles at regular intervals. We hear the start of the Karakia and rituals associated with the Whanua Pani. We meet a modern Maori master carver and a master weaver and hear their explanations of different parts of the house: tahuhu, spine, tukutuku and carvings. We see a master Ngarauru carver who creates ornate coffins in totally Maori design. We meet the great grandchildren of Robley, carvers and artists like their Tipuna. We travel with Maui Dalvanius Prime, Lady and Sir Paul Reeves, Erima Henare, Kaipara Harbour iwi, the three Ropere granddaughters, Maimo Maruera and the Ministers of the Crown to seek the head of Maihi Paraone Kawiti, the Ngapuhi Maori chief whose grave was ransacked. His head was taken and is now believed to be in Austria or Switzerland. Was the Austrian collector Andreas Reischek truly responsible for this heinous crime? Ngapuhi say yes, Dr. Michael King says otherwise. We meet officials and negotiate the return of all the Kaipara Harbour heads and bones housed in the National Museum in Vienna. We meet the son of Andreas Reischek whose father was a curator at the Wanganui Museum and Auckland Museum and took the bodies of two Waikato Rangatira, related to Te Atairangi Kahu (The Maori Queen), these have since been returned to them. We talk to the family of Te Atairangi Kahu about their ancestor Tupahau. Michael King, Reischek's biographer, details the reasons why Kaipara iwi have a valid case to ask for their remains back. We profile Cliff Whiting, Walter Waipara and the Maori Unit at Te Papa Tongarewa and discuss their visions for the future of the Mokomokai. We ask the question "Will the Mokomokai ever be returned to Iwi, or will the Museum be their final resting place?" We Mihi to all the Iwi and the dearly beloved and departed, warriors named and unnamed. Our Karakia is recited at the departure place of the dead, Cape Reinga. THE STYLE As naturalistic as possible. This treatment does not include intended material obtained from the archives of Television New Zealand, or the stills and cutaways we have already filmed. INTERVIEWS TO BE CONFIRMED Reverend Jesse Jackson, Chicago The National Maori Council of Churches, New Zealand The Maori Congress The Maori Women's Welfare League Donna Awatere Survival International New York, London Minority Rights Group (International) New York, London Spokesperson for Buckingham Palace Spokesperson for the National Museum, Vienna Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, Great Britain Spokesperson for The White House, USA (probably Jesse Jackson assigned to us by the Clinton Administration) Sir Paul Reeves and the late Maui Pomare also successfully negotiated the return of several Mokomokai in an Institution in Edingburgh, Scotland. Interviews with representatives from the Institution will also need to be confirmed and our entourage could possibly be adding Scotland to their itinerary. THE PRODUCERS RESERVE THE RIGHT TO DETERMINE INTERVIEW TOPICS AS THEY SEE FIT. All content included in this treatment has been registered with the legal office of the Producer's Lawyer, Karen Soich, Barrister for Intellectual Copyright and Art Law New Zealand and the registered offices of Mark Levinson, Los Angeles

Programme 4 We, the Producers, feel this series will generate the validity for another one-hour programme. The style would be an open-forum debate with key players involved. The series Producers reserve the right to submit this proposal under its own auspices. Na Maui Dalvanius Prime, Director "Mokomokai: the Documentary" Copyright © Mokomokai Productions Ltd. 1998 Should you receive a little Tuatara in the mail, he belongs to us. His purpose is purely to advertise the Documentary.