Film Screening
Awanui Simich-Pene (director)
A parable about colonisation, First Horse is an 11-minute film by Awanui Simich Pene. Elegantly shot in black and white, First Horse is set in Aotearoa New Zealand in 1826. The film unfolds a story told through the eyes of a young Māori girl, a tale of encounter and a world on the cusp of change.
For thousands of years, the Māori were adept seafarers, skilfully navigating the waters in waka (canoes). The arrival of the horse brought about a profound transformation in their world, allowing for quicker travel across land. This shift revolutionised transportation methods, enhanced the ability to patrol tribal boundaries, expanded opportunities for food cultivation, and changed approaches to warfare. Ultimately, the arrival of the horse carries a bittersweet colonial history.