Libby Hakaraia

Hakaraia in 2022

Elizabeth Anne Hakaraia MNZM is a New Zealand film producer and director.^[1]

Biography

Hakaraia was raised in Lower Hutt and started her broadcasting career at Radio Waikato when she was 17 years old.^[2] When she was 20, she moved to Radio Aotearoa and later to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. After some time living and working in Europe she returned to New Zealand and worked on National Radio’s Māori magazine show Whenua.^[3]

In the later 1990s Hakaraia began researching, producing, writing and directing documentaries and television series. In 2004 she founded her own production company, Blue Bach Productions.^[3]

In 2014 Hakaraia established the Māoriland Film Festival; two years later the Māoriland Charitable Trust opened a cinema and arts space which Hakaraia manages.^[2][4]

Hakaraia has been a jury member at ImagineNATIVE, the world’s largest indigenous film festival, and an executive member of Screen Production and Development Association and Ngā Aho Whakaari.^[4]

In the early 2000s Hakaraia wrote a book for adult readers and another for children about Matariki, a Māori celebration of the new year.

In the 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours, Hakaraia was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the film and media industries.^[1]

Filmography

Year	Title	Medium	Role	Notes
2021	Cousins	Feature film	Producer	[5]
2018	The Gravedigger of Kapu	Short film	Director and writer	[6]
2017	My Party Song (first episode)	Television series episode	Co-director and producer	[7]
2016	Ra'satste	Short film	Executive producer	[7]
2016	Hautoa Mā! The Rise of Māori Cinema	Television documentary	Director and sound recordist	[8]
2013–2015	My Country Song	Television series	Producer	[9]
2013	The Prophets	Television documentary	Director	[10]
2012	Requiem for Charlie	Television documentary	Producer	[7]
2010	The Scotsman and the Māori	Television documentary	Writer, co-director and producer	[11]
2009	Makereti	Television documentary	Director	[7] [12]
2009	Kehua	Short film	Producer	[13]
2008	The Lawnmower Men of Kapu	Short film	Director and writer	Winner, People's Choice Award: Wairoa Māori Film Festival, 2012[14]
2006	Fat Freddy's Drop – Based on a True Story	Television documentary	Producer and director	[15]
2006	New Brighton Road	Television documentary	Producer	[7]
2005–2011	Tātai Hono	Television series	Producer	[16]
2005	Manhattan Māori	Television documentary	Director	[17]
2005	Whangai – Who Gets Baby?	Television	Producer and director	[7] [18]
2004	Rediscovering the Lost Songs of Sir Apirana Ngata	Television documentary	Producer and director	[19]
2003	Gang Kids	Television film	Director	Winner, TV/Film Award: Media Peace Awards, 2004[20]
2002	Chinks, Coconuts and Curry-munchers	Television documentary	Director	[21]
2001–2003	Mercury Lane	Television series	Director	[22]
2001	Ihi Frenzy	Television documentary	Director	[23]
2001	Trip of a Lifetime	Television	Director	[7]
1999	Taumata	Television	Producer	[7]
1999	Hell for Leather	Television documentary	Writer	[24]

Publications

• Hakaraia, L. (2008). Matariki: The Māori New Year. North Shore, N.Z: Raupo.^[25]
• Hakaraia, L., & Urlich, C. W. (2008). Te kahui o Matariki: Contemporary Māori art for Matariki. North Shore City, N.Z: Raupo.^[26]
• Hakaraia, L. (2004). Matariki. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed.^[27]

Personal life

Hakaraia's iwi are Ngāti Kapumanawawhiti, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Toa Rangatira and Te Āti Awa.^[28] Her partner is film producer Tainui Stevens .

References

1. "The Queen's Birthday and Platinum Jubilee Honours List 2022 - Citations for Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit". The Queen's Birthday and Platinum Jubilee Honours List 2022 - Citations for Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
2. "Queen's Birthday Honours: Libby Hakaraia recognised for advancing Māori storytelling". NZ Herald. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
3. "Libby Hakaraia". www.nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
4. "Libby Hakaraia-Queen's Birthday and Platinum Jubilee Honours 2022". Waatea News: Māori Radio Station. 5 June 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
5. "Cousins". New Zealand Film Commission. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
6. "The Grave Digger of Kapu: a Kiwi short film about 'spiritual heavy lifting'". RNZ. 16 October 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
7. "Libby Hakaraia". www.nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
8. Yates, Siena (4 February 2016). "New documentary 'Hautoa Ma' examines the rise of Maori film". Stuff. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
9. "County Music Show to Premiere on Māori Television". Māori Television. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
10. "Māori Prophets Come To Life In Māori Television Series". Māori Television. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
11. "The Scotsman and the Maori". FIFO Tahiti (in French). Retrieved 23 July 2022.
12. Hakaraia, Libby; Stickle, Cory (2010), Makereti, the enigmatic guide (in Māori), N.Z.: Blue Bach Productions, OCLC 676837127, retrieved 23 July 2022
13. "Kehua". www.hawaii.edu. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
14. Strang, Ben (4 July 2012). "Otaki marae film a festival hit". Stuff. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
15. "Fat Freddy's Drop - Based on a True Story". www.nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
16. "Re-Connecting Whanau With Tatai Hono". www.scoop.co.nz. 23 April 2007. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
17. "Documentary New Zealand - Manhattan Maori". ngataonga.org.nz. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
18. Hakaraia, Libby; Kite, Rhonda; Hita, Quinton (2005), Whangai: who gets baby?., New Zealand: Kiwa Media, OCLC 761340583, retrieved 23 July 2022
19. "Rediscovering the Lost Songs of Sir Apirana Ngata". ngataonga.org.nz. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
20. "Media Peace Awards Presented". www.scoop.co.nz. 14 November 2004. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
21. "Chinks, Coconuts and Curry-munchers". DigitalNZ. 1 January 2002. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
22. Mossman, Producer: Philippa; Jennings, Director: Jane; Hakaraia, Director: Libby; Bancroft, Director: Andrew; Manson, Executive Producer: Tony; Woolly, Line Producer: Karren; Henderson, Production Assistant: Kylie; Stevenson, Production Co-Ordinator: Emilie; Harre, Director of Photography: Rewa. "Mercury Lane: Series I. Episode 06". DigitalNZ. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
23. "IHI FRENZY". ngataonga.org.nz. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
24. "Hell for Leather". www.nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
25. Hakaraia, Libby (2008). Matariki: the Maori New Year. North Shore, N.Z.: Raupo. ISBN 978-0-14-301018-0. OCLC 232659902.
26. Hakaraia, Libby; Urlich, Colleen Waata (2008). Te kahui o Matariki: contemporary Maori art for Matariki. North Shore City, N.Z.: Raupo. ISBN 978-0-14-300934-4. OCLC 213382039.
27. Hakaraia, Libby (2004). Matariki. Auckland: Reed. ISBN 978-0-7900-0968-1. OCLC 1045742160.
28. Wilkes, Mikaela (26 March 2021). "Inside the special women's whare of Cousins film producer Libby Hakaraia". Stuff. Retrieved 23 July 2022.