Thursday night’s episode of ‘Home and Away’ will feature the show’s Maori family performing a Haka for the first time in Summer Bay. Two Maori advisors (Kani Collier and Tainui Stephens) helped write the storyline into the Australian soap, where the Parata family will honour late family member Mikaere Parata with the Haka after being unable to return to New Zealand for the funeral. Filming this was emotional for actor Rob Kipa-Williams (Ari Parata) who dedicated his performance to his Aunty Leah who recently passed away. “This sudden passing was heartbreaking, a huge shock and sadly I missed her Tangi (funeral),” Rob told HuffPost Australia. I joined them through the phone screen.” Rob said Home and Away’s Haka scene is “art really imitating life”.

Source: Huffington Post July 09, 2020 09:29 UTC