The Patriarch

Set in the 1960s, the story revolves around two Maori families, the Mahanas and the Poatas, who earn their livelihood by shearing sheep along New Zealand’s east coast. These two clans are fierce adversaries, competing against each other in the annual sheep shearing contests. At the heart of the Mahana family is 14-year-old Simeon, a brave schoolboy who challenges the authority of his strict grandfather, Tamihana, and questions the old-fashioned beliefs he upholds. As Simeon delves into the origins of the enduring conflict between the families, the community’s established order begins to crumble. Tamihana, known for his pride and obstinacy, refuses to adapt or consider new approaches, further unsettling the traditional dynamics.