IN THE FIRE OF WAR ILLUMINATES A CRITICAL PERIOD OF MĀORI HISTORY
Ka Whawhai Tonu, translated as “Struggle Without End,” has been released with the English title In the Fire of War. Dialog is almost entirely filmed in the Māori language, though with English subtitles. The film depicts how British were determined to control New Zealand over the objections of the Indigenous Māori people. From March 30 to April 2, 1864, the British discover that Māori tribes unite, thanks to the leadership of commander Rewi Maniapoto (Temuera Morrison), and are more than willing to engage the outsiders in combat. (One reason the Māori and are heroic warriors is that the colonial army had quite recently destroyed a Māori village, raping and murdering women and children.) Much of the film focuses on the Battle of Ōrākau Pa near Kihikihi, Waikato, an area directly south of present day Auckland.
Haki (played by Paku Fernandez), born of a British father and a Māori mother, begins the film as someone imprisoned by the Māori soldiers for being a “half breed,” yet eager to make bullets for their muskets to avoid being put to death. He has been captured while traveling to protect his Māori grandmother from the conflict. After a Māori consensus to defend their land despite overwhelming odds, battles ensue, resulting in a standoff at first but eventual victory by the British over 200 Māori warriors.
Haki’s father, Jason Flemyng (Daniel Morgan), plays an important role. Evidently aware that the Red Cross Convention of 1864 bans attacks on women and children in combat, he at one point urges Māori soldiers to release members of their families, but family solidarity prevails despite the dangers. At a later point in the film, Haku escapes from the Māori to visit his father. But when Haku tries to talk sense to his father about the conflict, he is rebuffed, whereupon Haku travels to visit his grandmother.
Titles at the end credit Haku with leading the Māori to seek a peaceful accommodation with the British. The 14,000 Māori alive after the British conquest how number 1,000,000 and thrive in contemporary New Zealand. Not mentioned in the film is the fact that the Māori language was added as an official language of New Zealand in 1987.
In the Fire of War (Ka Whawhai Tonu), directed by Mike Jonathan, has been nominated by the Political Film Society as the best film exposé and best film on human rights of 2025. MH