Māori Anthem ‘Pō Atarau’ Featured in Ryan Gosling’s ‘Project Hail Mary’ – How It Got There
Ryan Gosling’s new space epic, , is topping box office charts and generating buzz for its compelling story and impressive visuals. But for audiences in Aotearoa New Zealand, the film holds a particularly poignant resonance, thanks to the unexpected inclusion of a beloved te reo Māori anthem, “Pō Atarau.” The song, a wartime lament penned in 1915 by composer Emira Maewa Kaihau, soundtracks a climactic farewell scene, introducing the beauty and emotional depth of the Māori language to a global audience.
The journey of “Pō Atarau” to the silver screen is a story of preservation, serendipity, and a growing recognition of the richness of indigenous music. Originally inspired by Clement Scott’s 1913 ‘Swiss Cradle Song,’ Kaihau’s version quickly became associated with farewells – to soldiers departing for World War I, and later, to loved ones lost or leaving home. Over the decades, it evolved into a staple of Māori choirs and a powerful symbol of remembrance, even being included in The Aotearoa Songbook in , celebrating the legacy of waiata Māori.
The specific recording featured in is a performance by the Tūrakina Girls’ College choir. The school, a private Presbyterian boarding school, drew students from across the Pacific and New Zealand, creating a unique cultural tapestry reflected in their music. The recording resurfaced on the album Kia Ora, believed to have been released around , and later online in . It was this version that caught the ear of Kier Lehman, the film’s music supervisor.
Lehman was tasked with assembling a “mixtape from Earth” for the film, a soundtrack that would reflect the diversity of human culture. “Even as searching for goodbye songs from different cultures, I came across ‘Pō Atarau’ and I knew the song was special because of how it conveyed the sentiment of saying goodbye, even if you didn’t understand the lyrics,” Lehman explained to The Spinoff. He ultimately chose the Tūrakina Girls’ College recording for its “vintage quality” and its ability to perfectly complement the emotional weight of the scene. The directors, Lehman said, “got goosebumps and were instantly sold.”
The inclusion of “Pō Atarau” is particularly significant given the historical efforts of Viking Seven Seas, a New Zealand recording company, to preserve Māori and Pacific Island music in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Owner Murdoch Riley recognized the cultural importance of these recordings, and the resulting catalogue, described by music publisher Jan Hellriegel as “groundbreaking,” remains a vital resource today. Hellriegel, who brokered the licensing deal for the song’s apply in the film, expressed her excitement at seeing a piece of New Zealand’s musical heritage reach a global audience.
“It’s the most beautiful song and the most beautiful recording,” Hellriegel said of the Tūrakina Girls’ College version. “It just has so much heart and soul and magic.” She noted that the song has deep personal resonance for many New Zealanders, having been sung by her own parents. The response to the film’s use of the song has been overwhelmingly positive, with social media filled with viewers describing the emotional impact of hearing the familiar melody in a Hollywood blockbuster.
The impact extends beyond emotional resonance. Former student and last principal of Tūrakina Girls’ College, Terehia Channings, expressed her joy at hearing the choir’s recording in such a prominent film, even though the school closed its doors in . “I was so surprised, but in a really good way,” she said. “I was so happy to hear the singing voice of Tūrakina, even though the school has closed. The songs of the girls who recorded that waiata are still being heard.” She emphasized that the song’s inclusion is a testament to the enduring legacy of the school and its values.
Filmmaker Te Waiarangi Ratana described the placement of the waiata as “powerful and respectful,” noting that it arrives at a particularly poignant moment in the film. The song’s inclusion is not merely a stylistic choice; it’s a recognition of the cultural significance of te reo Māori and its ability to convey universal emotions.
For Hellriegel, the success of “Pō Atarau” in underscores the value of New Zealand’s creative industries and the importance of preserving its cultural heritage. “These industries are highly valuable, both culturally and in terms of what they can achieve with our economy,” she said. “I am constantly exporting our creative copyright all around the world…but people don’t seem to understand the opportunity in the same way.” She hopes the song’s success will inspire further recognition and support for New Zealand’s musicians and artists.
As audiences continue to experience the emotional power of “Pō Atarau” in cinemas worldwide, the song serves as a potent reminder of the interconnectedness of cultures and the enduring power of music to transcend language barriers. It’s a moment that feels, as Hellriegel puts it, “just meant to be.”