A new documentary is being made to honour the last journey of the great waka maker, sailor, voyager and mentor - Ema Siope.
A boosted campaign to raise $20,000 has been organised to finish the documentary.
Director and Producer of the film Anna Marbrook says, “It’s a story of Ema Siope who is a New Zealand born Samoan Voyaging captain and waka builder. She has sailed the Pacific and trained a large number of this generation”.
“It has been a very profound journey that has really captured not just her family but also her community”.
The late Ema Siope influenced a generation of voyagers. An experienced waka builder and captain, she was a key figure in the waka community throughout the pacific. Sadly, Ema Siope passed away a month ago at the age of 52.
“Often when you’re looking at filming documentaries, they often get made when someone passes away. When Ema was sick my brother and I talked a lot with the family and with Ema. The family decided we were the ones to tell her story”.
“It has been a very profound journey that has really captured not just her family but also her community”.
The launch of a crowdfunding initiative sees filmmaker Anna Marbrook begin the journey of taking her film Loimata (Samoan for Tears) to the big screen, portraying Ema Siope's story. The hope is for the film to hit the big screen next year.