Former TVNZ Head of Māori Programming and veteran broadcaster, producer, journalist and director (Koha, Waka Huia, Marae) Whai Ngata curates a selection of iconic Māori television and film to celebrate Matariki 2009. From Ngati to Billy T, from Ta Karere to Mataku, and the milestone launch of Māori Television, this collection celebrates te ao Māori on screen.
Up to the broadcast of this important documentary series, the TV landscape was pretty much European. Tangata Whenua was looked on as a "window into the Māori world". Equally, it provided Māori, who had relocated into the urban areas, a most important re-engagement with their 'taha Māori' or their 'Māoriness'.
This historic drama series screened at a time when Māori agitation about the inequalities regarding their status was making headlines. Seeing this history rekindled Māori vigour in maintaining the things they saw as important for the future of their culture and people.
The news bulletin in the Māori language first went air during Māori Language Week in 1982. Significant for pioneering Māori news on mainstream TV, for two decades it has been a platform for Māori to comment on issues and events. This episode presented by Derek Fox covers Waitangi Day 1984.
Koha began in 1980 and was a look into te ao Māori for Pākekā while providing a link for urban Māori estranged from their culture. It had 'wairua Māori' and was the first regular Māori programme shown in primetime. This episode looks at the famous Te Māori international touring exhibition of Māori art.
Barry Barclay's story of a post-war Māori community is a beautiful film. There are many reasons why Ngati should be part of the collection and bias is one of them: as a seven-year-old I'd ride eight miles by horseback, with my grandfather, to the East Coast bay where most of it was shot.
A waka huia is traditionally a treasure box to hold the revered huia feather. Waka Huia the TV series records and preserves Māori culture and customs. This first episode is about the language and its survival and features groundbreaking interviews with Sir James Henare and Dame Mira Szaszy.
A series of dramas engaging with Māori experiences of the Pākehā world, E Tipu E Rea was a flag-bearer for Māori storytelling on primetime TV. The first drama production to use predominantly Māori personnel, it was formative for many careers (Tem Morrison, Lee Tamahori, Riwia Brown, and more).
I include Billy T James in this list because of his ability to take the piss out of Māori (and everyone else!). Some Māori were angry - for a while - but Billy T's bro-humour (black singlet, yellow towel) was infectious. The gift he left behind - being able to laugh at ourselves - is timeless.
A short series of biographies on famous Māori made in 1990, these life stories stand the test of time. As we walk into the future, there is always comfort in knowing about our past. This episode features the prophet and political figure T.W. Ratana.
Tainui Stephens' documentary tells the stories of five men who served with the Māori Battalion in WWII. Narration (by George Henare), remembrances, visits to historic sites, and archival footage create a respectful and stirring screen testament to the men who fought in the Battalion.
This hard-hitting movie has to be included for pointing out the problem of domestic violence, not only among Māori, but all societies. It gave a very powerful account of the huge problem, imparting a message that transcends race and social status.
The producers of this "Māori Twilight Zone" took a gamble and TV's winning wheel stopped at the right place. The mix of horror movie and traditional storytelling came out of left-field, but melded into compelling drama, steeped in Māori spiritualism. It deserves a place in this list.
After a quarter of a century of protest, agitation, and court hearings, here and in England, the Māori Television Service was launched in 2004. A broadcasting milestone, Māori now had a dedicated channel where they could hear the reo, see their culture and draw on the wealth of archive taonga.
Māori Television has staked such a claim on Anzac Day coverage that the two have almost become synonymous with each other. The all-day broadcast began with this broadcast in 2006. The dignified, poignant coverage stands out as a huge commitment to this national day of tribute.
Coverage of the Māori Queen's tangi and funeral spread across three networks and streamed live to the world. It was a massive occasion for Māori and all New Zealanders - more than 430,000 people watched. I can't recall any other occasion of this magnitude broadcast in Māori television history. Moe mai e Te Arikinui.
Long-running current affairs show Marae was the 'bones' of Koha given another body. A feature is the immediacy of the live-to-air component, mixed with pre-recorded general items. One of the high points is the post-election interviews with successful Māori candidates.
An alignment of stars in the mid-year sky known as Matariki (the Pleiades) signals the Māori New Year; a time of remembering and renewal. Read More >
NZ On Screen would like to acknowledge Māori Television Service, Screentime Limited, TVNZ, TVNZ Archives, NZ Film Commission, Robin Scholes and Screenline. Thanks also to the Auckland War Memorial Museum for the use of the manu tukutuku image and zAmb0ni for the Pleiades photo.
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