Tipene’s ‘Kupe’ is more of an animated film than a music video. Funded by TMP it explores a new medium - flexing creative abilities given the context of the waiata being about exploration and discovery.
It features many subtle references - Kupe's anchor stone is in there, Uenuku (the pou), our navigation birds, poutiriao around Kupe and lots of beautiful nuances to honour our people as masters of the moana & whenua.
Directed by Anahera Parata, with key creatives from WHEKE FORTRESS (of Aroha Bridge popularity), the video was produced by Coco Solid (Jess Hansell) and lead animator Tokerau.
The track itself is an ode to KUPE the master navigator and Polynesian voyager. The video has a more abstract take on a futuristic Aotearoa; where there a turbo / street canoes and a cityscape of traditional statues and marae-turned mansions. Where the world view is naturally Maori, for this is Aotearoa our home and place of belonging. There are subtle easter eggs for the academic viewer (Kupe's anchor stone which is housed at Te Papa), various Polynesian nuances, and reference to our taonga being on display in museums.
At time code 01:36 the Welcome to the 'cook' islands sign is muted, it is Rarotonga not an island owned by Captain Cook.
At time code 02:00 our female character designs her pou (statue) , dismantling Cook's mana and replacing it with KUPE. Our hero and protagonist.
Ultimately this film is about Tino Rangatiratanga; it relates to Matariki as it is a reflection of the past whilst honouring the present and future ambitions.