UK Air Date: 15th April 2022
Writer: Fiona Kelly
Director: Arnie Custo
Cat No: HAAW34-138
Mia says goodbye to her past and future. Nikau and Tane find their warrior strength through pain. Will Jasmine make room for Cash?
Extended Summary
Nikau is standing outside the Parata house, at attention with the taiaha, with the sound of singing coming from inside. Tane joins him and encourages him to come in, saying Ari’s counting on them and it’ll just be them soon, for their last night together. Inside, Mia is sat by Ai’s coffin, holding his hand, while Chloe is lying in Bella’s lap. Nikau and Tane come back in as the Wirembu is extolling Ari to rest. Nikau sits with Bella and Chloe. The Wirembu announces family time and he and the others leave the Paratas alone. Tane, trying to be upbeat, suggests they’re all fed up of the casseroles they’ve been left so goes to get pizza.
Jasmine drinks a toast with Cash to her new roommate, planning to never make the bed again. Tane comes in and Cash tells him Felicity isn’t there. Jasmine asks after Mia and Tane says she hasn’t left Ari’s side. Jasmine offers to help at the gym. Tane says they can come round to see her and say goodbye to Ari, explaining about taking him home tomorrow. Outside the Parata house, Bella says goodbye to Nikau, saying this time is for the family, and encourages him to say goodbye to Ari. Tane comes past with the pizza and Bella says she’ll see them first thing tomorrow.
Jasmine and Cash are on the balcony at Salt. Jasmine says she knows how Mia’s feeling, recalling she was a wreck after Robbo and saying she doesn’t grieve well. Cash says he remembers people supporting him and Felicity after their dad died and encourages her to do the same for Mia. Jasmine says she doesn’t regret falling for him. Back at the Parata house, Nikau and Tane are asleep on the living room floor. Mia is slumped by the coffin, then starts screaming, saying she dreamed it wasn’t real. Nikau and Tane comfort her. Chloe comes in but ends up quickly hurrying out again.
Bella is dragged out of bed by a banging on the door. It’s Chloe, who says she can’t stand seeing Mia like that and asks to stay there. Back at the Paratas’, Nikau gets a text from Bella saying Chloe’s there and shows it to Tane, who says Nikau and Mia need to let things out. Approaching Ari’s coffin, Nikau says he didn’t expect to have to do this until he was old and grey.
Irene sees Cash and Jasmine kissing outside the house and notes they seem to have sorted out the key situation. Jasmine says they have other things to be getting on with, then, when both Irene and Cash get embarrassed, says she just meant sorting out his drawers. She and Cash go to her room where they kiss. Meanwhile, Nikau says he’ll make Ari proud and Mia says he already is. Nikau comments on how he gave him a hard time and fought against him being part of their family but would now give anything for one more game of rugby on the beach. Tane plays the guitar and sings. At the farm house, Bella sets Chloe up on the sofa. At the Parata house, both Nikau and Mia are asleep next to Ari’s coffin. Tane says that he’s got them.
Next morning, a large group of people including Mia, Ari, Nikau, Bella and Chloe are gathered at the house. Mia places a momento of Kauri in the coffin and Tane adds Ari’s jacket. Cash and Jasmine arrive and Jasmine gives Mia a hug. Tane leads the singing again. Alf, Roo and Justin arrive outside and are greeted by John, who notes he wasn’t sure they were going to make it. Cash and Jasmine exit the house and tell them Ari will be leaving soon. They also bump into Felicity who says she wanted to be there for Tane.
Alf, Roo and Justin enter the house, exchanging quiet greetings with Mia, Tane and Nikau. Tane says it’s time. Mia, Tane and Nikau all say brief goodbyes to Ari, with Mia saying she’s happy to get to be his wife. Nikau and Tane seal the coffin. They and some of the other men present carry the coffin outside, with Chloe, Mia and Bella following them. Alf, Roo, John, Justin and Felicity stand at the front of a line of people either side of the procession, with Cash and Jasmine also present. The coffin is placed in the back of a hearse and the men from the procession join a traditional dance. At the end, Tane remains crouched in tears and Felicity goes to him, while Bella hugs Nikau. Mia walks over to the vehicle where the coffin is. Tane kisses her on the cheek and gets into the vehicle with Nikau getting into the car behind. They drive away.
Guest Cast
WIREMU (PETER PAKI)
KAIKARANGA (MICHELLE MORUNGA)
PARATA WHĀNAU (TE TUHI TIPENA, MARCUS BARBER, KANE PAHAU, MARK TAKUIRA, REWI PAKINGA, RINNARTA BRYAN, KAITLAN MAURIOHOOHO)
Trivia
- The song sung by Tane and Nikau on Ari’s final evening in the house was a Māori folk song named ‘Tiaho Mai Rā’
- The Māori hymn sang by the Parata whānau before Ari’s final farewell was ‘Ka Waiata ki a Maria’. It was composed by Richard Puanaki, Ethan Browne’s (Tane) uncle, who passed away a few months before the episode was filmed.