The Piano Lesson Page #7

STEWART struggles up to the front to join BAINES, he speaks over the

top of HONE.

STEWART:

What's he say?

BAINES:

Someone died here. It's tapu.

STEWART:

But we came down this way

didn't we? I'm sure we did.

The MAORI leaders continue discussing.

0h Pitama eh.

HONE:

E Tarna heke atu ki ram - tiro

his atu.

Rapuhia mai he huarahi re!

(Go and look, find another

track eh!)

UNSUBTITLED:

TIPI:

'cia tupato he ana taniwba ke

raro na.

(Go easy there's a ghost down

there.)

SUBTITLED:

HOTU:

'Ca, rongo koe i te haunga a

tans tutae i te tuatahi. (You

smell his sh*t first.)

UNSUBTITLED:

STEWART continues over the top of the MAORI discussion.

STEWART:

They want more money. They are

trying to make two days out of

it?

BAINES:

No, no they know another track

- to the side of this.

ADA and FLORA sit watching, out of breath. The bush is dense,

claustrophobic and exotic. One of the MAORI women sits close to ADA

apparently not looking at her- Slowly she draws the scarf that is in

ADA's lap into her own. Defiantly she puts it on.

Meanwhile another woman makes a very dignified attempt to wipe the

freckles from FLORA's face.

Sc 20 EXT STEWART'S DAY Sc 20

It is another day and STEWART'S hut, bleakly set amidst smoking stumps

is full of squeals, chasing and antics.

Sc 21 INT STEWART'S HUT DAY Sc 21

The reverend in frock coat has a wedding dress stuck part way up his

arms. It is not a normal wedding dress but a backless one used again

and again as a photographic prop. Stewart's AUNT MORAG and her

companion NESSIE are trying to pull it off.

AUNT MORAG:

Watch your feet!

NESSIE:

Watch your feet!

ADA and FLORA find the family fun frightening and have taken refuge in

the bedroom.

AUNT MORAG:

Careful! Watch his hand.

NESSIE:

Watch his hand

The REVEREND tickles his sister as she tries to get the sleeve off his

hand. NESSIE squeals with excitement.

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