This Way of Life

Antidote Films

Pinnacle Films

R4 DVD

This documentary is unusual in that it has no obvious message to get across, no point to make and no apparent plot. It is simply four years in the life of a New Zealand Maori family. We travel with them through their troubles, joys and sad moments. We see how well their simple lifestyle works and how it affects their large family of kids.

Peter Karena, while not Maori-born, has been accepted by the Maori community. He married Colleen, a surprisingly mentally strong woman who runs the family. They have five kids, although the number increases during the time the film was made. Peter makes a living raising and breaking horses in the nearby Ruahine mountains. He also hunts deer for venison and makes a further living as a carpenter and running occasional tourist horse treks along the beach, a business that is growing.

Peter and Colleen’s kids are growing up around the horses and are completely unafraid of them. Daughter Aurora thinks nothing of mounting a huge stallion and riding him bareback. The kids are not “ferals”, they go to school regularly and one is happy that the school teaches foreign languages. They are simply happy, healthy country kids growing up in a lifestyle that city kids would find hard to adapt to. They are resourceful and self confident. Both parents love their kids and believe they are building a future for them. Peter is surprisingly philosophical about it and has obviously decided that this is the best way to bring them up. He is a natural on camera and is happy to voice his opinions, which carry a lot of common sense. It seems to be working. Colleen is always more reserved though the film but seems to agree with her husband.

They have one major problem. His mother remarried later in life and Peter’s malevolent stepfather seems to be out to make Peter’s life as hard as possible. He appears to have always had problems with Peter’s existence and refers to him only as “my wife’s son”. When the film opens the family has just been told that Peter’s stepfather has sold their house that seven generations of the family have lived in. There may be legal problems over the sale because Peter has been paying the mortgage on behalf of his stepfather, but he still has to get out. His stepfather has even lodged a complaint against him for trespass, even though Peter is paying the mortgage as rent. Peter notes to one of the policemen sent to keep order that his stepfather is becoming known for shonky deals in the community. His hatred saddens Peter who seems to accept that they will never be reconciled. One night, with most of their stuff moved out, the house mysteriously catches fire. All the family photos and other memorabilia are lost. It is a huge blow to Colleen to whom family is very important. They move out and set up a small temporary camp with a caravan, a tent and Peter’s horses.

They get themselves a house again when Colleen’s mother lets them use a huge shed on her property. Their new home is large and comfortable, but Peter knows that true security for his family can only come if they own their own property.

We follow Peter on a trip into the mountains where he rounds up horses for sale and shoots a pig and a deer for food. Later when he goes back up the mountain to pick up the horses his eldest son comes with him. The trip is dangerous but this is just part of the lifestyle. When they reach the mountain hut all their horses have been stolen. Although Peter has his suspicions about the thief he never voices them. He just goes back to work combing the mountains for more horses.

Colleen, who was pregnant, has lost the baby but now has another one on the way.

Peter’s father for no apparent reason has had the old house demolished (after it caught fire the sale fell through) and is hostile to the filmmakers. His deep and irrational dislike for Peter comes out ever stronger – every success Peter has seems to be a personal insult to him. He talks of demolishing the house as “there are lessons that some people have to learn”. He is now spreading rumours around town that Peter’s horses and business are actually his. Despite all these setbacks we get to see the magic day when Peter and Colleen manage to finally put down a deposit on their new home. It is a proud moment for them.

It is not a “heart-warming” story in the traditional style. These are real people living real lives under difficult conditions. Their philosophy, words and actions give you a deep respect for them. The country they live in is beautiful but harsh yet somehow encourages an inner strength in the parents and the kids. Lucky kids. As an example of how some people handle life, this film should not be missed.

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