Tane shed plenty of tears at the Auckland premiere of Whale Rider at Sky City.
Two busloads of people from Whangara, the setting for the film based on the Witi Ihimaera novel, stoically endured a series of showers before delivering an enthusiastic powhiri and karanga last night.
Hone Green, a Ngati Konohi elder from the east coast Maori settlement, said it was an emotional moment for his people.
"The home people are really overcome with the whole event and particularly from the fact that this is our story which is being told to the world.
"I just hope other hapu and iwi will have the opportunity to tell their own stories in a similar fashion."
Rawinia Clarke, of Ruatoria, was eager to see the film in which she plays Miro, a close friend of the youthful star Keisha Castle-Hughes.
"It's taken a while for all this to sink in. It's been an awesome experience," she said.
Whale Rider, the tale of a girl's battle to change generations of entrenched Maori tradition, was awarded the People's Choice award at the Toronto film festival.
Herald feature: Whale Rider
'Our story, told to the world'
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