Taika Waititi actively made sure not only Māori but other indigenous identities, specifically aboriginal Australians, were represented in his film since they were filming on their ancestral lands.
he invited the Yugambeh mob to welcome them and even had a Māori Kaumātua (elder) to perform a Karakia, “a kind of open-up ceremony from [his] side of things as well.”
he hired an Aboriginal water company to supply that water on set
he wanted to make space for indigenous filmmakers and thus had 8 indigenous interns on set to learn and gain film experience
yes, Taika is a lot of fun and super goofy. But that doesn’t mean Ragnarok doesn’t stand for something bigger. Taika is not only the first Polynesian man to direct a superhero movie, but he is also the first indigenous person to do so too. While he is barrel of laughs and a half, please don’t forget what Taika brought to the MCU. (x) (x) (x)
