waiting at the gate

Waiting at the Gate

By

Liebchen Tamahori

Liebchen Tamahori

398 Pt Chevalier Road

Auckland

(09) 8155014

[email protected]

Two sisters who have been travelling all day stand at the

gate to a country marae at sunset. They must be called onto

the marae by the time it gets dark or they will have to turn

around and go back to the last town they came through and

repeat the exercise the next morning. The marae remains

silent. The sisters are about to give up in despair when

another visitor arrives...

SCREENPLAY: WAITING AT THE GATE BY LIEBCHEN TAMAHORI

Fade In

SCENE 1: EXT. GARAGE. AFTERNOON

Outside a garage in a town about the size of Matamata,

ISABEL - a 34 year old solo mum and puhi of her family, her

10 year old daughter HERA and her youngest sister BABY (27)

stand in front of their clapped-out Subaru waiting

impatiently for a proper mechanic’s opinion on the car’s

non-performance, and getting one only from the BOY who is

just looking after the place. Both Isabel and Baby are chain

smoking. Hera is playing with a mobile phone. The boy is

staring at some of the larger dents...

BOY

Some of these look fairly recent...

ISABEL

No no no.

BABY

They’re old all of them.

ISABEL

They haven’t got anything to do

with it.

SCENE 2: EXT. MAIN HIGHWAY THROUGH A PINE FOREST.MORNING

In the middle of a highway deep in ground mist and shadowed

by tall trees, the Subaru coasts to a stop.


BOY

Where you come from?

BABY

Auckland.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 2.

BOY

That’s quite a way alright.

ISABEL

I’ve been driving since 5 this

morning.

SCENE 4: INT. CAR. MORNING

Isabel driving like a fiend. One hand on the wheel, the

other fiddling with her hair, popping lollies into her

mouth, playing with the radio, reaching behind her in search

of something in the back seat where Hera lies asleep among

the duvets. Isabel looks far too alert and bright. Like

she’s on speed.

Pull back to reveal Baby snoring in the front passenger

seat.

SCENE 5: EXT. GARAGE. WANING AFTERNOON

Baby blows smoke rings.

BABY

I’m the navigator.

ISABEL

Says she who’s head has been

lolling about like a bladder on a

stick for the last 500 miles.

BOY

Yeah well ha ha ha usually I’d say

that its just a temperature thing.

Happens with these cars, they’ve

got a thin bonnet and if you’ve

been driving for a long time

sometimes they’ll cut out in the

forest because of the sudden drop,

but that doesn’t explain why the

bottom of your car seems to be

dripping...is that acid?

BABY

How do you fix it?

ISABEL

Baby do you mind? It’s my car. I’m

the driver. I’m the one getting us

there.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 3.

BABY

We’re going out to Kakariki to a

tangi. Our uncle’s.

ISABEL

Oh for god’s sake only by marriage.

BABY

Our mother’s sister Gloria’s

husband, Walker.

SCENE 6: EXT. YARD. MORNING

Hovering between wife and death, WALKER - a skinny old dude

of a farmer walks towards his land-rover with his five dogs.

GLORIA follows:

GLORIA

Listen to me, Walker.

Walker pauses

GLORIA

You climb into that truck, with all

those new valves the doctors spent

all that time and money putting

into you. You go bumping over the

paddocks so soon, and you’ll shake

the heart right out of your body

and then what will happen?

Walker continues to the land-rover opens the door and lets

all 5 dogs cram into the cab with him. He starts the engine.

GLORIA

Whose going to feed your hairy

friends when that happens? Not me,

Mister. Not me.


The boy is nervous

ISABEL

He suffered a heart attack last

weekend.

BABY

They think.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 4.

ISABEL

He died all alone.

BABY

Well...

SCENE 8: EXT. FARM PADDOCK. MORNING

The land-rover is at a wonky angle. Uncle Walker’s head

appears to have depressed the horn. The dogs are getting

anxious.


Isabel and Baby exhale.

BABY

sort of...

ISABEL

Although, its not as if he lived a

normal life anyway.

BOY

Um...Well yeah usually I’d say

she’ll warm up again any minute.

The car I mean ha ha ha. But

seriously, maybe you should wait

for the mechanic? He’s just down

the road clearing up after an

accident or an explosion or

something. It must have happened

just behind you...

We HEAR the sound of a car engine. The Subaru has started.

Hera is closest to the car.

HERA

Mum it started all by itself.

ISABEL

Let’s go.

Baby throws her cigarette towards a bowser and screams

BABY

I’m not coming.

Isabel is in the driver’s seat.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 5.

ISABEL

Baby don’t argue with me now

BABY

It’s an hour away, we’ll never make

it.

ISABEL

I know what I’m doing.

BABY

No you don’t.

HERA

Come on Baby, we can text them.

ISABEL

Leave that thing alone, Hera, how

many times do I have to tell you.

HERA

It’s not yours.

BOY

If you hang on, they should have

cleared up the forest road by now

and the boss will be back.

In response to the boy’s advice, Baby gets into the car.

ISABEL

Your boss is taking too long. We’re

late.

The car clanks, groans and eventually zooms away.

SCENE 10: INT. CAR. AFTERNOON

The car is stuffed to the gunwales with; long trip/tangi

necessaries, bags of lollies.

The sisters stuff lollies in their mouths.

HERA

He thought we were mad.

BABY

We are mad.

ISABEL

Ten hours stuck in a car with you

Baby who wouldn’t be?

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 6.

BABY

Yeah well twenty-seven years stuck

on the planet with you...

ISABEL

For god’s sake.

BABY

Okay Hera ring that old woman, tell

her where we are.

HERA

What on?

BABY

Whaddya mean "what on" on your

phone.

HERA

This is Nanna’s phone. I’ve got her

bag.

BABY

Didn’t you tell me...

ISABEL

She’s got Mum’s phone you idiot.

How can she ring her? Who’s going

to answer? You?

BABY

Ring the marae then. No we don’t

know what its called. What about

Aunt Gloria’s? No there’ll be

nobody at the farm. Dial 017 or

018.

HERA

There’s no reception anymore.

ISABEL

We can’t be that far away then.

Isabel lights a cigarette.

HERA

Oh and now you’re smoking in the

car.

ISABEL

It’s a bad road. I need to

concentrate.

Baby lights a cigarette

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 7.

HERA

And what’s your excuse Baby?

BABY

My excuse is because needs must

when the devil drives. Look around

you, it’s bloody magic time.

SCENE 11: EXT. A COUNTRY ROAD. AFTERNOON

It could be magic time. The Subaru is rolling through back

blocks farming country.


Hera rolls down a window

HERA

What’s that smell?

ISABEL

That’s fresh country air.

HERA

Smells like someone died.

BABY

All I can smell is ashes and pine.

Still! Strange don’t you think?

HERA

Wasn’t that scary in the forest? It

got so cold and the car was

drifting like we were floating

away...

ISABEL

All the warning lights came on.

Even the one about the airbag.

SCENE 13: INT. CAR. MORNING

Isabel sits in the dark motionless car. Only the red

flashing dials from the dash illuminate her face to the

colour of blood. Isabel is gasping for air, unable to speak.

We HEAR Hera crying

8.


Movement again, the girls are travelling through the country

with golden light pouring into the car. Isabel is glancing

continuously toward her feet

BABY

How funny to still smell those

trees. It reminds me of

something...

Baby looks out the window...

SCENE 15: EXT. PADDOCK. AFTERNOON.

Two magpies flying low across a paddock keep pace with the

car...

ISABEL

(OS)

How very very odd.


Baby turns back from the window

HERA

Is it happening again Mum?

BABY

It’s slowing down. It’s getting

cold again.

ISABEL

Calm down Baby, my foot’s gone to

sleep that’s all.

BABY

Funny time for your foot to go to

sleep.

ISABEL

It’s been numb intermittently

since...although it is winter I

suppose.

BABY

And it gets dark early in these

hills. Oh God I can feel the sun

setting in my bones. I’m chilled.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 9.

HERA

Mum you’re going too fast.

BABY

Don’t slow down Isabel.

HERA

Why do we have to go so fast?

ISABEL

We’ve got to get onto Uncle

Walker’s marae before sunset and if

we don’t get there soon there’ll be

no opes going on to join. They’ll

lock the gate and no-one will be

able to get in except the

hedgehogs.

BABY

We should have found a motel in

that god forsaken dump back there

and come out in the morning.

ISABEL

Its far too late to turn around

now. Someone will be there to take

us on.

HERA

Why can’t we go on by ourselves?

ISABEL

It’s a rule. An old old rule.

BABY

Admit it. We can’t karanga. There’s

no way round it.

ISABEL

That’s enough Baby.

HERA

Where will we stay?

BABY

We’ll have to sleep in the car most

probably. Oh Lord, It would be

different if Dad was here.

ISABEL

Oh yes wouldn’t it be? it would be

so different if Dad was here.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 10.

BABY

You’re quite right of course.

ISABEL

Oh yes. It would be different if he

was here

BABY

yeah totally different. If only he

was here.

SCENE 17: EXT. MARAE GATE. NIGHT (IN MAORI)

We HEAR thunder clap. Isabel and Baby’s father REV. JIM a

Maori minister of the old school stands by a marae gate at

the head of a very large ope. Formidable he looks, the men

surrounding him are serious heavy-weights and the women up

the front are impressively ancient. TIONGA an old man stands

on Rev Jim’s left and MURU a young man stands on his right.

Lights blaze out into the darkness from the marae buildings.

The hosts call toward the gate. And it’s all in Maori.

WOMEN

(SUBTITLES)

Who are these barbarians?

Tell them to go home.

Can you believe it?

This isn’t the north, you know.

get lost!

etc etc

HENIKARAKA, the ope’s kaikaranga is not happy.

HENIKARAKA

I can’t call in the face of this.

There’s no precedent.

TIONGA

(SUBTITLES))

Then we won’t be able to get on.

REV. JIM

(SUBTITLES)

We can get on. At times like this

with god’s grace a man may speak.

Don’t worry.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 11.

HOST KAIKARANGA

(SUBTITLES)

It is known that only ghosts and

penises come out at night which

ones are you?

Hilarious.

HOST KAIKARANGA

(SUBTITLES)

Ghosts?

Its pandemonium.

HOST KAIKARANGA

(SUBTITLES)

Or penises?

HENIKARAKA

Oh well then, it’s up to you now

fulla...

Rev Jim turns to Muru.

REV. JIM

E Muru, puhia!

The younger man’s eyes widen in terror.


Isabel and Baby are laughing fit to bust. Hera not so much.

BABY

Ghosts.

ISABEL

Penises.

BABY

Puhia! That’s all he said.

ISABEL

Poor Muru.

BABY

Puhia. Oh he was a one. Oh Dad.

They continue to laugh like drains.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 12.

ISABEL

Dad if only you were here.

SCENE 19: EXT. MARAE GATE. NIGHT

The Rev. Jim turns as if his two girls and mokopuna are

there with him and he is taking them onto the marae...


Isabel stops mid-laugh her face contorted. The breath

knocked out of her but still she’s driving.

BABY

Pull over Isabel.

Isabel continues driving struggling for control against what

looks like a great pain in her stomach. She leans over the

wheel hiding her tears.

BABY

Stop driving for God’s sake there’s

something wrong with you.

HERA

Mum?

Isabel slows down to an idle on the side of the glorious

country road. She is fighting to regain control of herself

whilst simultaneously searching for her handbag.

ISABEL

I’m alright. Stop it Hera. I just

need a pill. Where’s my hand bag?

Baby where have you put it? For

god’s sake, do you have it Hera? I

need my handbag.

SCENE 21: EXT. SIDE OF THE ROAD. REAL MAGIC TIME

Baby, fed up, pushes open the car door and stands on the

verge, her cigarette hanging from her mouth.

Brilliant sunset.

Two magpies sitting on a fence.

Baby looks about her at various farm-like vistas, studies

the distance, then raps on the window to her sister and

points across some paddocks.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 13.

The tops of marae buildings can be seen and not very far

away.

Baby gets back into the car. Isabel reverses then turns off

the road onto a very narrow more-dirt-than-gravel area and

proceeds for a few meters.

SCENE 22: INT. CAR. REAL MAGIC TIME

Isabel stops the car again. The road to the marae is gated

even before the entrance proper. The marae is quiet although

many vehicles are pulled up inside the fence.

ISABEL

Is this the right place? It can’t

be. Where is everybody? Where are

the women?

BABY

Everybody’s in the dining room.

It’s teatime.

HERA

Why don’t we just open the gate?

Why don’t we just go round the

back?

ISABEL

Because this is a marae not

McDonalds. We can’t just stroll

into places like this just because

we want to. We’ll put on our blacks

and stand up by the gate. Someone

will see us.

The sisters proceed to em-black themselves whilst sitting in

the car. Its not an easy procedure especially when you’re

concerned not to expose any more flesh than you have to...

BABY

Is it just me or are these clothes

soaking wet?

ISABEL

Course they’re not wet.

BABY

We’re probably in a swamp.

ISABEL

Hera what are you doing?

14.

Hera has unwrapped her Nanna ROXANNE’S TIKI from his bag.

She holds up the ancient tangiwai man by his woollen cord.

SCENE 23: INT. MAGNIFICENT BEDROOM. DAY

Hera watches Roxanne unfold the tiki from it’s silk and show

her the tangiwai. The old lady rubs the tiki, her eyes

fierce with pride. Behind them, Isabel is crying tears of

pure rage.


Isabel wants the tiki

ISABEL

Give me that.

HERA

(SHOUTING)

No you can’t have him. He’s not

yours.

Isabel backs off.

We HEAR the sound of a car coming slowly down the road,

SCENE 25: EXT. CAR. REAL MAGIC TIME

A car on the main road, slows down to pass the marae

gates and goes doubly slow past the Subaru before speeding

up and away.


Hera watches through the window at the car disappearing flat

out now.

HERA

That’s not very friendly.

BABY

Hera, I can’t find my pashmina. I

think your grandmother stole it...

you should know. Or maybe it was

your mother.

ISABEL

I heard that. This is my pashmina

here. What would I want with yours?

Where’s my handbag?

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 15.

Another car comes by and does the same thing.

BABY

Is it us do you think?

SCENE 27: EXT. AT THE GATE. EVENING

They leave their rapidly disintegrating car to re-group upon

the grass. Hera looks the same but Isabel and Baby have put

on their blacks and their greenstone and appear rather

magnificent in a gloomy sort of way. They look over to the

marae. The grounds are still deserted but lights have come

on in the buildings.

BABY

I don’t like this place. there’s a

wind getting up. Can you hear it?

ISABEL

There’s no-one absolutely no-one to

help us.

HERA

Who’s that over there?

Hera points...

SCENE 28: EXT PADDOCK EVENING

Walking over the paddocks toward the marae is a skinny old

dude of a FARMER. His potai obscures his face. His identity

is masked.

SCENE 29: EXT AT THE GATE EVENING

Hera leans on the fence.

HERA

He’s got a lot of dogs hasn’t he?

BABY

Oh Jesus!

Its getting very windy.

ISABEL

Oh God I can see the dogs too.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 16.

HERA

They’re all around him and there’s

a shadow behind him. Are those

people?

ISABEL

Could it be?

BABY

It’s uncle Walker with a ghost ope

and they’re coming this way

HERA

They’re coming to the gate!

Hera and Baby SCREAM, running on the spot.

Isabel gnashes her teeth.

ISABEL

Keep your voices down for God’s

sake!

HERA

I’m going to find Nanna. I don’t

care.

Hera makes a dash for the fence. Baby follows.

A hand grabs Baby’s arm. She hits out wildly. There’s a

tremendous scuffle before Baby discovers its only Isabel.

ISABEL

Don’t go. I’m scared.

BABY

I’m scared too.

ISABEL

Stay with me.

BABY

I’ll stay with you.

ISABEL

All right then.

BABY

All right then.

ISABEL

Don’t scare me anymore.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 17.

The girls light cigarettes, standing in the wind yet

inwardly settled.

BABY

I’ve suddenly remembered what that

smell reminds me of.

ISABEL

Yeah?

BABY

Christmas time back at Pukehou. Dad

always brought in a real tree

remember?

ISABEL

Oh yes, when we were kids at

Pukehou.

BABY

Every Christmas at Pukehou I’d get

a special feeling that something

was going to happen to me. I always

knew that when it happened I would

recognise it absolutely... I mean

it wouldn’t just happen and I’d say

"this is it" and then later on have

to say "no that wasn’t it." It was

a secret feeling. And I never told

anybody about it.

ISABEL

And whats the feeling now?

BABY

Something’s going to happen.

And then a light shines on them from the other direction and

the sisters clutch each other in trepidation.

An OLD WOMAN IN BLACK WITH KAWAKAWA LEAVES IN HER HAIR now

stands on the grass beside the gate illuminated by the

lights of car departing down the main road. There is a TOOT

OF A CAR HORN. The lights fade into darkness.

The old lady kisses and strokes Isabel and Baby.

HINE

Kia ora kia ora kia ora what a

night, what a place to meet. Look

at you two. As jumpy as cats. You

like me I suppose? just dumped here

on the side of the road at any old

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 18.

HINE (cont’d)

time of the night. The young fullas

in my family don’t have a clue. I

tell them I’ve got to be at such

and such place at such and such a

time it means nothing to them.

Whatever Mum. That’s what they say.

Hello dears. I’m Hine...

The wind carries away the rest of her name before it can be

heard.

ISABEL

I’m Isabel and this is my youngest

sister Estelle. We’re...

HINE

Oh my dear I know who you two are

don’t you worry about that. I know

your whole family your mother and

your aunts who are waiting for you

inside. I knew your father and your

uncle too. I know you all. Root and

branch. The little girl’s already

jumped the fence I see and headed

off towards the lights. Can’t help

that I suppose.

BABY

We’re about to do the same thing

HINE

I wouldn’t if I were you dear. Oh

no no no. That’s not the right

thing.

BABY

No-ones coming out to get us. I’m

sure its too late for anyone to

care.

HINE

Oh but you’re wrong they’ll come

out if you call.

ISABEL

That’s the problem, neither of us

call. There, I’ve said it. Could

you call?

HINE

I think you’re going to have to

call - I’ve got a sore throat by

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 19.

HINE (cont’d)

the way. No you’ll have to do it.

One of you at least. You should

know this, coming from such

a family as yours. look at you in

your fine blacks!

Baby strokes her clothes...

BABY

Isabel...

she holds up her bloodied hands

BABY

It’s all over me...

ISABEL

I can’t move! My feet are stuck...

HINE

Mind you the wind is getting up so

you may have to yell. Still your

father had a fine pair of lungs

didn’t he? I remember...just like

my father. What an old horror he

was. But he had a big voice too

indeed he did and like your Dad he

was a stickler for protocol and for

making up new ones when it suited

him...Now girls!

The girls in their blood soaked clothes are undergoing a

dawning realization as they stare into the sockets of

Hine-nui-te-po’s frozen eyes. Isabel and Baby lean over the

gate and scream for all they’re worth.

SCENE 30: INT. WHARENUI. NIGHT.

Underneath the carvings and the photos, Isabel and Baby’s

mother, Roxanne, their aunts; Gloria, CONNIE, LOUISE, and

ITA are waiting. There is a back door to the wharenui which

opens revealing the farmer. His potai is in his hands. Its

not Uncle Walker. And the dogs are not farm dogs but

alsatians. Behind them are a group of POLICEMEN. One holds

Hera in his arms wrapped in a blanket. Another holds Baby’s

pashmina and Isabel’s handbag. The wind blows. The wharenui

erupts into shrieks and wailing.

20.

SCENE 31: EXT. MARAE GATE. NIGHT.

The wind moans madly through the grasses around the open

marae gate. There are no women. There is no car.

fade out

THE END

ABOUT LIEBCHEN TAMAHORI

Liebchen Tamahori has written stories for both television

and radio. Three of her television dramas (The Visitation,

Tohunga, Te Aomahana) have been produced and screened and

her stories for Radio New Zealand are still regularly

broadcast. She is currently working on film scripts - one of

which "Bull" has received funding from the New Zealand Film

Commission.

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waiting at the gate