Kawakawa Fox-Reo, who plays the Parata family on Home and Away, has hinted that the Paratas are in for some dramatic situations.
Nikau (Kawakawa) and Tane (Ethan Browne) visit Ari (Rob Kipa-Williams) in prison, where he is on remand following his false confession to the murder of Matthew Montgomery, in scenes that will air soon in Australia (James Sweeny).
According to TV Week, Ari isn’t dealing well in jail, but he still refuses to divulge the truth about what really happened to cruel Matthew – it was Matthew’s daughter Chloe Anderson (Sam Barrett) who killed him while attempting to save her mother, Mia Anderson (Anna Samson).
Nikau is furious about the situation and insists that Chloe come out and say that she, not Ari, killed Matthew. Tane, on the other hand, refuses to go against Ari’s intentions and advises Nikau to accept his uncle’s decision as well.
“Seeing someone you love in a situation like that isn’t a nice sight,” Kawakawa said, adding that the order makes Nikau feel “tortured.”
Tane and Mia try to focus on Mia and Ari’s wedding during dinner, but Nikau isn’t interested in talking about the details.
Later, he tells Tane that losing Ari reminds him of losing his own father, and he can’t bear it, therefore he wants to leave Summer Bay.
Tane tells Nikau to pack his bags for a camping trip with him the next morning. He then presents Nikau with a Taiaha – a traditional Mori weapon – as a unique gift. Tane offers to educate Nikau on how to be a warrior and help him discover the guidance he so desperately needs after revealing that it once belonged to Nikau’s father.
Tane displays the Taiaha technique when they arrive at the campground, but impatient Nikau struggles to learn it. Tane encourages Nikau to focus while he worries that all is lost, and as they practice, Nikau begins to find the courage and guidance he’s been waiting for.
“The Taiaha sequence has a great influence on Nikau because it is such an important element of who he is as a person,” Kawakawa explained. “Grounding him and reminding him of the ideals that come with it is tremendously empowering and grounds him in a way that he really needs.”
Could this be the turning point in Nikau’s life?