The Navigators is a fully immersive planetarium show which tells the story of early navigation to Aotearoa through the eyes of budding navigator Moko. The movie is the culmination of many years of work for Haritina Mogoșanu, Executive Director of the New Zealand Astrobiology Network and former Public Programmes Manager and Senior Space Science Communicator at Space Place, who developed the concept. "The knowledge we have from studying the stars has made extraordinary achievements possible - not just scientific ones but also personal. So our message to our tamariki is; learn your science and be our explorers for the future."

The production has been carefully crafted with tikanga, cultural and navigation knowledge. Pacific Master Navigator Jack Thatcher (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Pūkenga, Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti, Ngāti Awa) and Specialist Naval Navigator Commander David Hedgley, along with Pou Tikanga Joe Harawira (Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Maniapoto, Tuhourangi) and Tahitian advisor Ena Manuireva contributed to the success of the movie.

The movie was project-managed by John Dow and directed by Lala Rolls. It has also drawn heavily on Wellington's creative talents, including a team of animators under the creative direction of another Wairarapa resident, John Strang. In addition, the movie benefited from production expertise and facilities at Park Road Post and the Miramar Creative Centre's motion capture studio.

"It's a real celebration of Pasifika navigation that also shares how European navigators like Abel Tasman and Captain Cook came to Aotearoa and the science they employed to sail here," says Lala.

"It's very much embedded in tikanga Māori and engages cultural investigation, from research to scripting, music, animation and motion capture."

The soundtrack was recorded in a collaborative live musical session conducted by Riki Gooch, with voice acting and sound mix at Park Road Post in Wellington. A powerful karakia welcomes viewers at the beginning with Pacific sounds, including drumming woven through the musical score.

Ngā Tohunga Whakatere: The Navigators will screen at the Wairarapa Space Science Centre daily during the school holidays. The project was supported by Lottery Tuia – Encounters 250 and The Lion Foundation. Experience Wellington produced the movie.