DRAFT IN PROGRESS

Episode Structure

The Journey Home: Tuna Migration and Human Connection

Witnessing the extraordinary natural migration cycles of tuna and exploring the deep bonds between people and this species, from intimate individual relationships built over generations to community efforts that support these remarkable fish and their ancient pathways.

Contributing Experts:

• Vanessa Tipoki - Tuna caretaker and advocate (expert input)

• Sam Ludden - Artist & cultural practitioner, Kahungunu ki Wairarapa

• Matt Paku - Former commercial eel fisher, cultural knowledge holder, Sam's uncle

• Matua Karl Russel - Cultural knowledge holder (Arowhenua)

• [Additional experts to be confirmed based on specific locations and programmes]

References:

[More to be added based on available research]

• Documentary Film makers & Film Productions. Watch Documentaries Online

Introduction

Journey & Context

Jamie's Departure and Travel to Location

• Jamie in his element: Surfing, diving, boating, walking along Wellington seashore

• Travel reflection: Jamie traveling to the Wairarapa (car) while reflecting on what he expects to discover about tuna migration and human connections

• Journey anticipation: "I'm heading to the Wairarapa to meet people who've built lifetime relationships with tuna, and to witness one of nature's most remarkable migrations"

Jamie's Arrival - Meeting People Where Their Stories Begin

• Arrival at the marae: Jamie's formal welcome to the local marae (recent build)

• Cultural protocols: Traditional welcome and introduction to the community

• Setting: River running behind the marae - immediate visual connection between iwi, place, and waterways

Personal Welcome and Introductions

• Meeting Sam Ludden: Introduction at his pottery studio, seeing his eel pottery work

• Meeting Matt Paku: Sam's uncle, former commercial eel fisher, knowledge keeper

• Meeting Vanessa Tipoki: Tuna caretaker who has developed individual relationship with resident tuna "Big Mama"

• Family bond: Understanding the beautiful intergenerational relationship between Sam and Matt that shapes this story

Setting Up the Journey (Physical and Emotional)

• Physical journey: Following tuna migration routes from rivers to ocean

• Emotional journey: Understanding how migration cycles shape cultural identity and family relationships

• Individual connections: Exploring how personal bonds with individual tuna reveal their intelligence and personality

• Seasonal timing: Setting expectation for multiple filming periods to capture different migration phases

Elder Voices Establishing Deeper Wisdom

• Matt Paku's voice: Traditional knowledge about tuna lifecycle and migration

• Historical context: Stories of commercial fishing and traditional preservation methods

• Cultural foundation: How tuna migration has shaped community life for generations

Cultural Significance Through Pūrākau or Traditional Knowledge

• Migration stories: Traditional understanding of tuna's journey from ocean to freshwater and back

• Cultural calendar: How traditional communities organized around migration timing

• Spiritual significance: The role of tuna migration in traditional beliefs and cultural practices

Act 1

Memory & Connection (The Human Story)

Personal Stories and Lived Experiences with the Species

• Matt's commercial fishing memories: Stories of traditional eel fishing practices in local rivers

• Sam's childhood: Growing up "at the back of his uncle Matt's truck," learning about waterways

• Vanessa's individual connection: Her unique relationship with resident tuna "Big Mama" - calling her and watching her respond, feeding her regularly, and recognizing her as a beautiful intelligent creature

• Family traditions: How knowledge passed from Matt to Sam through shared experiences

• Contrasting relationships: Understanding different ways people connect with tuna - from commercial/traditional harvesting to intimate individual bonds

Traditional Practices and Knowledge from Kaumātua

• Matt's fishing expertise: Traditional methods of catching and reading tuna behavior

• Preservation techniques: How they salted and dried tuna meat for survival

• Seasonal knowledge: Understanding migration timing through environmental signs

• Historical documentation: Matt sharing historical photographs of traditional practices

Pūrākau and Mātauranga Māori Connecting People to Species Across Generations

• Migration stories: Traditional narratives about tuna's extraordinary journey

• Cultural teachings: How tuna behavior teaches about patience, timing, and natural cycles

• Ancestral connections: Understanding tuna as ancestors and teachers

• Sacred relationships: The spiritual dimensions of human-tuna connections

Intergenerational Memories and What Has Changed

• Matt's perspective: How commercial fishing and waterway health have changed over decades

• Environmental changes: Impacts on migration timing and tuna populations

• Knowledge continuity: What traditional knowledge remains relevant today

• Adaptation: How families like Matt and Sam's adapt traditional values to modern contexts

Younger Generations Creating New Connections and Taking Action

• Sam's artistic expression: Using pottery to celebrate and document tuna traditions

• Contemporary engagement: How Sam engages young people in waterway restoration

• New methods: Modern approaches guided by traditional knowledge

• Future vision: Sam's dreams for healthy waterways and cultural continuity

Initial Glimpses of Dreams and Visions for the Future

• Cultural revival: Hopes for traditional knowledge continuation

• Healthy waterways: Vision of thriving tuna populations and migration

• Community engagement: Dreams of youth connected to their waterways

• Individual connections: How personal relationships with tuna inspire broader conservation efforts

Community Relationships That Enable Connection

• Whānau networks: How family relationships support knowledge transmission

• Marae connections: The role of iwi institutions in maintaining cultural practices

• Restoration groups: Community networks focused on waterway health

• Individual relationships: How personal bonds with tuna like Vanessa's inspire broader conservation efforts

Cultural Foundations in the Wairarapa

Traditional Relationships:

• Historical accounts from Matt about forming connections with individual tuna

• Spiritual significance and the role of tuna in traditional beliefs and cultural practices

• Respectful harvesting practices that honored individual tuna within sustainable systems

• How whānau practices created habitat conditions where tuna would thrive

Modern Individual Connections:

• Meeting Big Mama: Visiting Vanessa's property to witness her unique relationship with her resident tuna

• Calling and recognition: Observing as Vanessa calls "Big Mama" and the tuna responds, demonstrating individual recognition

• Daily interactions: Understanding how Vanessa has built this relationship over years through regular feeding and interaction

• Tuna intelligence observations: Vanessa sharing what she's learned about tuna behavior, memory, and personality through her individual relationship

• Beautiful intelligent creature: How Vanessa's perspective differs from commercial fishing - seeing tuna as individuals with unique personalities

Act 2

Discovery & Experience (Being Present)

The Journey to Reach Meaningful Places (Physical/Spiritual)

• Traditional fishing rivers: Visiting waters where Matt conducted commercial fishing

• Matt's former property: Journey to where he kept tuna, now sold but still accessible

• Vanessa's property: Visiting where she has built individual relationship with "Big Mama" over years

• Sacred waters: Understanding spiritual significance of specific waterway locations

• Migration routes: Following pathways tuna use between river and ocean

Hands-on Moments with the Species or Waterway

• Migration observation: Filming juvenile tuna (whitebait) moving upstream in October

• Adult migration: Capturing adult tuna migrating downstream in March/April

• Vanessa calling "Big Mama": Witnessing the remarkable interaction as Vanessa calls her resident tuna and she responds, demonstrating signs of connection and familiarity

• Underwater footage: Direct observation of tuna in their natural habitat

• Handling demonstrations: Matt showing traditional methods of respectful tuna interaction

Learning Through Doing - Traditional Practices in Action

• Reading migration signs: Matt teaching how to predict migration timing through environmental indicators

• Traditional fishing techniques: Demonstrating respectful harvesting methods

• Preservation methods: Hands-on learning about salting and drying techniques

• Individual relationship building: Vanessa demonstrating how she developed trust and recognition with "Big Mama"

• Riparian restoration: Sam leading planting work to improve tuna habitat

Sharing Knowledge Between Generations

• Matt teaching Sam: Ongoing knowledge transmission between uncle and nephew

• Sam engaging youth: How Sam shares traditional knowledge with younger people

• Community workshops: Knowledge sharing in restoration and cultural activities

• Vanessa's insights: How individual relationships with tuna complement traditional knowledge

The Science of Connection

• Tuna Intelligence Research: Scientific understanding of eel behavior, memory, and social capacity

• Individual Recognition: How Vanessa's experience with "Big Mama" demonstrates tuna's ability to recognize individual humans and respond to calls

• Longevity and Wisdom: How tuna can live for decades, accumulating knowledge of their environment and building relationships

• Individual Personalities: Research showing how different tuna exhibit distinct behaviors, supported by Vanessa's observations of "Big Mama"

The Beauty and Depth of These Connections

• Migration wonder: Witnessing the remarkable natural phenomenon of tuna migration

• Family bonds: The deep relationship between Matt and Sam expressed through shared passion

• Individual connection: Vanessa's unique bond with "Big Mama" showing tuna's capacity for individual relationships

• Cultural depth: Understanding how tuna migration connects to broader cultural identity

• Intelligence and recognition: Appreciating the remarkable intelligence tuna display through both traditional knowledge and individual relationships

• Natural cycles: Appreciating the ancient rhythms that continue despite environmental change

Developing Dreams and Visions for the Future

• Restoration success: Evidence of habitat improvement supporting natural migration

• Knowledge documentation: Recording traditional practices through photography and pottery

• Individual relationship insights: Understanding how personal bonds with tuna inform conservation

• Community expansion: Growing networks of people committed to waterway health

• Cultural continuity: Ensuring traditional knowledge guides modern conservation efforts

Act 3

Action & Unity (Community Solutions)

How Communities Are Embracing Change and Adapting

• Sam's restoration initiatives: Leading riparian planting to reduce erosion and improve water quality

• Community engagement: Getting different generations involved in hands-on waterway care

• Cultural adaptation: Using traditional knowledge to guide modern restoration techniques

• Youth leadership: Young people taking active roles in waterway protection

Multiple Approaches to Caring for Waterways

• Habitat restoration: Physical work improving conditions for tuna migration

• Cultural revival: Artistic and educational approaches to maintaining traditional knowledge

• Individual relationships: Personal connections that demonstrate tuna intelligence and inspire conservation

• Community education: Teaching others to read migration signs and support natural cycles

Traditional and Contemporary Practices Working Together

• Guided restoration: Matt's traditional knowledge informing Sam's modern restoration work

• Artistic documentation: Sam's pottery preserving and celebrating traditional relationships

• Individual observation: Vanessa's relationship with "Big Mama" providing insights into tuna behavior

• Scientific integration: Combining traditional observation with contemporary monitoring

Community Gatherings and Shared Experiences

• Restoration workdays: Community coming together for hands-on habitat improvement

• Cultural celebrations: Gatherings that honor both migration cycles and cultural traditions

• Intergenerational learning: Events that bring together elders and youth around shared knowledge

• Vanessa's insights: How individual relationships with tuna inspire broader community conservation efforts

Building Hope Through Collective Action

• Measurable success: Evidence of tuna responding positively to restoration efforts

• Growing participation: More people getting involved in waterway care and cultural learning

• Knowledge revival: Traditional practices being documented and shared more widely

• Natural resilience: Witnessing migration cycles continuing despite environmental challenges

• Individual inspiration: How personal relationships with tuna motivate broader conservation

Showing How Traditions Adapt While Values Endure

• Contemporary expression: Sam's pottery as modern way of honoring traditional relationships

• Individual connections: Vanessa's relationship showing how traditional values of respect apply to individual tuna

• Adaptive management: Using traditional knowledge to respond to contemporary challenges

• Cultural continuity: Core values of respect and reciprocity expressed through modern actions

• Innovation within tradition: New methods guided by ancient wisdom

Fuller Exploration of Dreams and Visions for the Future

• Thriving migration: Vision of natural cycles supported by community restoration efforts

• Cultural strength: Traditional knowledge thriving and guiding contemporary conservation

• Individual relationships: Personal connections with tuna inspiring broader conservation

• Community networks: Growing connections between knowledge holders and restoration practitioners

• Generational continuity: Young people carrying forward both traditional knowledge and restoration skills

Conclusion

The Journey Continues

Final Thoughts on Dreams and Visions for the Future

• Natural cycles supported: How community restoration work enables migration to continue

• Cultural knowledge alive: Traditional understanding guiding modern conservation efforts

• Intergenerational connection: Knowledge and passion passing from Matt to Sam to future generations

• Individual bonds: How personal relationships with tuna like Vanessa's inspire broader conservation

• Community growth: Expanding networks of people committed to waterway and cultural health

Practical Inspiration for Viewers

• Restoration participation: How viewers can get involved in local waterway restoration

• Cultural learning: Opportunities to learn about traditional relationships with freshwater species

• Migration observation: How communities can monitor and celebrate natural migration cycles

• Individual connections: Ways people can develop respectful relationships with local tuna

• Knowledge sharing: Ways to support documentation and transmission of traditional knowledge

Return to Opening Themes/Whakataukī and Pūrākau

• Migration stories: Returning to traditional narratives about tuna's extraordinary journey

• Cultural wisdom: Reinforcing traditional teachings about patience, timing, and natural cycles

• Ancestral connections: Honoring tuna as teachers and cultural guides

• Individual relationships: Celebrating the intelligence and personality of individual tuna

• Seasonal rhythms: Celebrating the ancient cycles that continue to shape community life

Community Gathering Bringing Everyone Together (Mirroring Introduction)

• Marae gathering: Final scene at the marae with river flowing behind

• Knowledge celebration: Matt, Sam, and Vanessa sharing stories and future visions

• Cultural protocols: Formal conclusion with traditional elements

• Collective vision: Community united around shared commitment to tuna and waterway health

Jamie's Personal Reflection on Discoveries

• Migration wonder: Jamie's amazement at witnessing natural migration cycles

• Relationship depth: Understanding how tuna migration shapes cultural identity

• Individual connections: Appreciation for the intelligence and personality of individual tuna like "Big Mama"

• Knowledge richness: Appreciation for traditional wisdom guiding modern conservation

• Hope for future: Confidence in community commitment to cultural and environmental health

Final Wisdom from Elders or Key Voices

• Matt Paku: Final thoughts on traditional knowledge and hopes for future generations

• Sam Ludden: Vision for young people carrying forward both tradition and innovation

• Vanessa Tipoki: Reflections on individual relationships with tuna and what they teach us about these remarkable creatures

• Community voices: Collective commitment to supporting natural cycles and cultural continuity

Interview Questions Throughout Episode

Act 1 Interview Questions:

• Sam Ludden: "How did your uncle Matt shape your connection to waterways? What role does your pottery art play in keeping tuna traditions alive?"

• Matt Paku: "What was commercial eel fishing like in your time? How did you salt and preserve tuna meat? Can you show us the rivers where you used to fish and explain the tuna lifecycle?"

• Vanessa Tipoki: "How did you first develop your relationship with 'Big Mama'? What have you learned about tuna intelligence and behavior through this connection?"

Act 2 Interview Questions:

• Sam Ludden: "How do you get younger generations involved in caring for rivers? How does your riparian planting work connect to what Uncle Matt taught you?"

• Matt Paku: "How has your relationship with tuna changed from commercial fishing to retirement? What restoration practices from your time could help tuna today?"

• Vanessa Tipoki: "How have you observed tuna behavior through your relationship with 'Big Mama'? What does this individual connection teach us about tuna intelligence?"

Filming Locations Summary

Primary Location: Wairarapa (All Episode Content) Focus: Personal connections, natural migration documentation, habitat restoration

• Local marae (Jamie's welcome, community gatherings, cultural protocols)

• Sam's pottery studio (artistic expression, contemporary cultural connection)

• Matt's former property (drone and underwater footage, historical connection)

• Vanessa's property (individual relationship with "Big Mama," feeding and calling demonstrations)

• Traditional fishing rivers (migration documentation, traditional knowledge sharing)

• Sam's riparian planting sites (restoration work, community action)

• Waipoua River and surrounding waterways (natural migration filming, habitat exploration)

• Community gathering spaces for knowledge exchange

Filming Schedule: Multiple Shoots

September: Location scouting and preparation

October shoots: Juvenile migration (whitebait moving upstream) - interviews with Sam, Matt, and Vanessa (sit-down)

March/April shoots: Adult migration (downstream to ocean)

Year-round shoots: Resident populations, restoration work, interviews, cultural activities

Episode Balance:

• 80% Wairarapa content focusing on natural migration, relationships, and restoration

• 20% Cultural knowledge exchange and broader migration context