Ramai Hayward
|
Ramai Hayward MNZM |
|
|---|---|
| Born |
11 November 1916 Martinborough, New Zealand |
| Died | 3 July 2014 (aged 97) |
| Spouse(s) | Rudall Hayward (m. 1943) |
Patricia Rongomaitara "Ramai" Hayward MNZM (née Te Miha, 11 November 1916 – 3 July 2014) was a Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu Maori - New Zealander who made films in five countries. Her film career began in 1940 when she co-starred in historical movie Rewi's Last Stand, after meeting her future husband, legendary New Zealand director Rudall Hayward. The first Māori cinematographer, she spent three years making films in England with Rudall. Later the couple were the first to make English language films in China after the communist revolution.
Hayward was born in the North Island town of Martinborough in 1916, the daughter of Roihi Te Miha and Fred Mawhiney, a motor mechanic. Her father served in the New Zealand Machine Gun Corps and died of wounds in Belgium in 1917. In 1917 her mother married Jim Miller, and Hayward was subsequently known as Patricia Miller for a period.
Ramai trained in stills photography when she became an apprentice to French photographer Henri Harrison in Wellington. In the 1930s she set up her own photography studio in Auckland, and soon had eight employees.
In the late 30s she met director Rudall Hayward, after he cast her as the romantic lead in a remake of his 1925 silent movie Rewi's Last Stand. Both films were inspired by conflicts during the New Zealand Wars.
In 1946 the couple, now married, travelled to England, where they spent around three years. Ramai learnt to operate the sound camera that Rudall had developed back in New Zealand. She was one of the few women working professionally as a cinematographer in the United Kingdom in this period.
The couple also made films in Australia, Albania and China.
By the 50s they were based back in New Zealand, where over the next two decades they made scenic films, a series of educational films and sold a short film on Opo the dolphin to many countries around the world. Ramai's contribution ranged across filming,scripting and co-directing.
As Rudall got older, Ramai took on an increasing load of filmmaking; some say she was the primary force on their final feature film, 1972's To Love a Maori. This was the first local dramatic feature shot in colour.
Rudall died in 1974. Over later years Ramai continued to take occasional acting roles. She died in July 2014.
In the 2006 New Year Honours, Hayward was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to film and television.
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