Tama Te Kapua Poata (3 April 1936 – 9 November 2005) was a

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

writer, actor, humanitarian and activist. He was from the

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...

tribe of

Ngāti Porou Ngāti Porou is a Māori iwi traditionally located in the East Cape and Gisborne regions of the North Island of New Zealand. It has the second-largest affiliation of any iwi, behind Ngāpuhi, with an estimated 102,480 people according to the ...

. He was also known as 'Tom,' the transliteration of 'Tama.'

Background

Poata was born on the East Coast of New Zealand's North Island. He was educated at Tokomaru Bay High School. He lived in

Wellington Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...

during the 1960s where he worked for the Drivers' Union.

Films

Poata wrote the screenplay for the feature film '' Ngati'' (1987), directed by

Barry Barclay Barry Ronald Barclay, New Zealand Order of Merit, MNZM (12 May 1944 – 19 February 2008) was a New Zealand filmmaker and writer of Māori people, Māori (Ngāti Apa, Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, Ngāti Hauiti) and Pākehā (European) descent. ...

and produced by

John O'Shea John Francis O'Shea (; born 30 April 1981) is an Irish professional football coach and former player who is currently assistant manager of the Republic of Ireland men's national team. He was known for his versatility in playing several defensi ...

. ''Ngati'' was the first film written and directed by Māori, and is of historical and cultural significance in New Zealand.

Actor

Poata played the role of 'Sam' in ''Wild Horses'' (1984) a New Zealand western directed by Derek Morton, produced by John Barnett and starring Bruno Lawrence.

Human Rights

Poata was a founding member and the secretary of the Māori Organisation on Human Rights (MOOHR) which took part in protests for Māori rights and also opposed New Zealand's involvement in the Vietnam War. He was instrumental in organising the historic 1975 Land March to the New Zealand Parliament in Wellington, voicing Māori indigenous land rights and protection of their culture. He was also active in the anti-apartheid movement in New Zealand against South Africa and is credited with having coined the name Halt All Racist Tours (HART) the organisation which led and mobilised anti-apartheid protests trying to stop the South African rugby union team touring in New Zealand. Poata was a member of Māori activist group

Ngā Tamatoa Ngā Tamatoa (''The Warriors'') was a Māori activist group that operated throughout the 1970s to promote Māori rights, fight racial discrimination, and confront injustices perpetrated by the New Zealand Government, particularly violations of ...

who amongst other things campaigned for the Māori language to be recognised and supported by the government, leading to the Māori Language Act in 1987. They also were part of the 1975 Land March, led by

Whina Cooper Dame Whina Cooper (born Hōhepine Te Wake; 9 December 1895 – 26 March 1994) was a New Zealand ( Māori elder), who worked for many years for the rights of her people, and particularly to improve the lot of Māori women. She is remembered for ...

Awards

*Best Original Screenplay for ''Ngati'': 1988 New Zealand Listener Film & Television Awards

References

External links

''Ngati'' movie clip at NZ On Screen''Ngati'' at the Internet Movie Database
{{DEFAULTSORT:Poata, Tama 1936 births 2005 deaths Ngāti Porou people New Zealand writers Māori activists New Zealand Māori writers People from the Gisborne District