“A lot of the public sometimes get offended by what’s happening … ”
The Haka Boy Films founder said the “ancient process” was to render down bones or flesh, which were then buried and “eaten away” over 12 months.
“Then the group comes back, picks up the bones … and they give them back to the people.”
Whale bone could be used in carvings and as treasures, he said.
Jonathan said the documentary explored why 30 to 50 people from Te Tai Tokerau [Northland] voluntarily travelled through the night to an area where whales were stranded.
He said the documentary was inspired when Webby was helping at a stranding as a masseuse.
“She’d never seen anything like it.”
Jonathan said Webby, as a “pioneer in New Zealand journalism”, became interested in why this was done.
“Two years later, she brought me on as a director of photography and then she just said, ‘Look, are you keen to do this together?’.”
They worked with RNZ, the New Zealand Film Commission, NZ on Air, and Pacific Islanders in Communications, he said.
The documentary was mainly filmed in Northland, but also in other places in New Zealand, including Taranaki.
He said it was a “blessing” to know it was coming to the big screen after six to seven years of work.
From television to filmmaking
Jonathan began his career by working for a small Rotorua production company, Cardno Video Productions.
“I was being brought through to film Te Karere … [in] 1995.
“That’s where I cut my teeth and learnt how to shoot and edit and direct, pretty much kind of all aspects of video production and filmmaking.”
Jonathan established Haka Boy Films in 2006.
“In between that, we had Hula Haka Productions and our biggest sort of show at that time was Marae DIY.”
This involved giving 120 marae a makeover during the show’s seasons.
Hula Haka Productions went into liquidation in 2007.
Rotorua filmmaker and Haka Boy Films founder Mike Jonathan. Photo / Damien Nikora
Jonathan’s debut feature Ka Whawhai Tonu – Struggle Without End brought the story of the 1864 battle of O-Rākau to the screen in 2024 in a major te reo Māori production developed alongside iwi.
He said the feature’s success had been “monumental” and was “still making waves today”.
Jonathan said he enjoyed sharing knowledge and stories through his work.
“Storytelling’s in our blood as Māori … from doing an epic period drama like Ka Whawhai Tonu that’s all in te reo Māori to doing documentary, I’ll tell stories in whatever format.
“I’m really riding that wave of making delicious content for the masses.”
The Doc Edge Festival’s full programme and tickets are available on the festival’s website.
Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and the Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.