He Karu, He Taringa - Eyes and Ears

“Is there something we need to know more about our children?”

Kia Ora!!

Ko Tahuaroa Matatu Cherrington Ohia toku ingoa. He uri tēnei nō Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Pukenga, Ngāti Hine me Ngāpuhi hoki. 

I am currently working at Māoriland as a rangatahi filmmaker. 

My Project

My short film is called He Karu He Taringa (Eyes and Ears). It's a story about how a takiwātanga (autistic) child hears and sees the world. I am takiwātanga and I'm also the writer and director of He Karu, He Taringa.

About me!

I was born at Matariki Hospital in Te Awamutu on the 2nd of November, 1998. I was diagnosed with Autism and Global Developmental Delay when I was six years old. 

I stopped talking when I was four years old. The only way I talked to people was to quote movie lines from movies & tv shows. 

I learned how to walk on all fours from learning how to be a lion. When I went to Pekerau Primary School, I fell in love with both acting & kapa haka. I wanted to do acting because I was inspired by animals, dinosaurs & movies.

Why is my story important?

This story is important because it is an experience that me and my whānau have been through. It took 6 months of me and my mother being shoved away by doctors and other health professionals before we finally found out my diagnosis. After this the doctor told my mother I wouldn’t accomplish any of the goals I had...and they were wrong, I’ve accomplished my goals so far and now I’m living an independent life as a creative artist.

This is why we want more support for whānau who are dealing with takiwātanga to have proper help and treatment from health professionals. I want the message in this film to be heard, in order to spread awareness around takiwātanga. People need to start treating takiwātanga as a gift not a disease.

My Team 

This project is supported by my Māoriland whānau. Māoriland present the Māoriland Film Festival and support rangatahi filmmakers to tell their stories - like me. 

I am supported by Te Tumu Whakarae o Māoriland and experienced producer Libby Hakaraia. I am working alongside my producers Jessica Lee Berghan and Jason-Bob Ropata. Like me, this will be their first professional project.  

Our Goal and partnership:

The goal is to help educate Māori, other Indigenous whānau, as well as other families out there who need help understanding what autism is. Also to provide parents information and handy tools to help them on their children's journey through takiwātanga.

We will also help promote Altogether Autism NZ. They can help a wider community around Aotearoa and provide families with trusted information and advice on autism in Aotearoa. 

We will begin filming in early April. I want to premiere my short film at Māoriland in June/July. Next April I want to take my short film around Aotearoa for a speaker tour for Autism Awareness Month.

With your help we need to raise $7,500.

• $5,000 will be used to pay my cast and crew for all their hard mahi, as well as paying for all the gear we need to make this film properly.
• $1,500 will go towards taking the film around Aotearoa so that I am able to speak to kura, kohanga reo, parents and other groups about takiwātanga.

We want all tamariki who are on the spectrum to grow up in a safe environment where other whānau, communities and education systems can help them to achieve their dreams.