Documentary film Pacific Mother is coming to Nelson! This event will feature a panel of Aotearoa's midwives and will be followed by a live Q&A session, prizes and more. From the creators of the short documentary Water Baby, Pacific Mother resumes the journey with freedive couple Sachiko Fukumoto and William Trubridge, as they birth their second baby in Aotearoa. Interweaving Sachiko's story with those of other wāhine hapu throughout the Pacific, the film explores indigenous birth wisdom, choice in maternity care, and acknowledges the sacred connection between pregnancy, birth, ancestors and oceans. Pacific Mother will also be shown in line with the Home Birth Aotearoa 2023 Hui.
As freediving couple Sachiko Fukumoto and William Trubridge navigated maternity systems for the birth of their first child, it awoke in them a fierce realization about the lack of choice many parents face. Director Katherine McRae follows Sachiko as she connects with ocean women from around the Pacific, from Hawai’i, Tahiti, the Cook Islands, and Aotearoa New Zealand. Through their interwoven stories, the film explores the importance of community, reclaiming traditional birthing knowledge and the connection between caring for the planet and nurturing both parents and their children.