We use cookies to help us understand how you use our site, and make your experience better. To find out more read our privacy policy.

Māori Battalion - March to Victory

Television (Full Length) – 1990

Māori Battalion - March To Victory tells the story of the New Zealand Army's (28th) Māori Battalion, which fought in campaigns during World War ll. Director and writer Tainui Stephens sets out in the feature-length documentary to tell the stories of five men who served with the unit, and also "capture how they felt about it". Narration by actor George Henare, remembrances, visits to historic sites, archival footage, and graphic stills create a respectful and stirring screen testament to the men who fought in the Battalion. Stephens writes about the film in the backgrounder.

Key Cast & Crew

Profile image for Tainui Stephens

Tainui Stephens

Director, Writer, Producer

Profile image for George Henare

George Henare

Narrator

Profile image for Michael O'Connor

Michael O'Connor

Camera

Generic Profile image for Anthony Muru

Anthony Muru

Assistant Editor

Generic Profile image for Sue Younger

Sue Younger

Research

Generic Profile image for Neil Newcombe

Neil Newcombe

Sound - Dubbing Mixer

See all 16 credits

Produced by

Logo for TVNZ

TVNZ

Source

Logo for TVNZ

TVNZ

Acknowledgements

Made with funding from NZ On Air

Music

Music produced by Billy Karaitiana and Wayne Laird.
Link here for the Māori Battalion song.
Urlicht - 2nd Symphony by Gustav Mahler. Trumpet solos by Grant Cooper.' Ko Wai Ka Hua' by Black Katz

More Information

If you liked this, you might also like...

Collection
Collection image for Anzac Day Collection

Anzac Day Collection

This collection brings together 50+ titles covering Kiwis...

Collection
Collection image for The Matariki Collection

The Matariki Collection

A selection of iconic Māori TV, film and music video for...

Thumbnail image for Review - Hone Tuwhare

Review - Hone Tuwhare

An interview with a young Tuwhare who was in the Māori...

Thumbnail image for Tama Tū

Tama Tū

Short film about a Māori soldiers fighting in WWII...

Thumbnail image for Howard Morrison Special - Hamilton

Howard Morrison Special - Hamilton

A Howard Morrison performance featuring the Māori...

Thumbnail image for 2006 Māori Television Anzac Day Coverage - Nā Rātou, Mō Tātou

2006 Māori Television Anzac Day Coverage - Nā Rātou, Mō Tātou

2006 Māori Television Anzac Day coverage

Thumbnail image for River Queen

River Queen

Also produced by Tainui Stephens

Thumbnail image for Weekly Review No. 232 - Māori Battalion Returns

Weekly Review No. 232 - Māori Battalion Returns

A short documentary about the Māori Battalion from 1946

Thumbnail image for Turangawaewae / A Place to Stand

Turangawaewae / A Place to Stand

A short film about a Vietnam War vet

Thumbnail image for The New Zealand Wars
Series

The New Zealand Wars

The history of Māori vs Pākehā conflict directed by...

Thumbnail image for Tuwhare

Tuwhare

Hone Tuwhare was in the Māori Battalion

Thumbnail image for War Stories Our Mothers Never Told Us

War Stories Our Mothers Never Told Us

Includes Queenie's Story - a Māori woman's war story

Thumbnail image for Ngarimu V.C

Ngarimu V.C

A doco on a Māori Battalion Victoria Cross winner

Thumbnail image for Rain of the Children

Rain of the Children

Also produced by Tainui Stephens

Thumbnail image for Turangaarere: The John Pohe Story

Turangaarere: The John Pohe Story

Another story of Māori war heroism

Thumbnail image for Reluctant Hero

Reluctant Hero

A documentary about Maori VC winner Willie Apiata

Thumbnail image for Loose Enz - Coming and Going

Loose Enz - Coming and Going

Drama set during World War Two

Thumbnail image for French Connection

French Connection

Another doco featuring Kiwi war veterans in Europe

Thumbnail image for Pounamu - Āpirana Ngata 1874 - 1950

Pounamu - Āpirana Ngata 1874 - 1950

Profile of a modern day Māori leader

Thumbnail image for The Years Back - 4, The New Decade (Episode Four)

The Years Back - 4, The New Decade (Episode Four)

New Zealand enters the war

Thumbnail image for Lost in Libya

Lost in Libya

This doco looks at Kiwis in The Long Range Desert Group

Thumbnail image for The Years Back - 5, The Desert (Episode Five)

The Years Back - 5, The Desert (Episode Five)

The New Zealand Division in the Libyan Desert war

Thumbnail image for The Years Back - 8, Making Do (Episode Eight)

The Years Back - 8, Making Do (Episode Eight)

The war on the home front

Thumbnail image for The Years Back - 10, The Final Peace (Episode 10)

The Years Back - 10, The Final Peace (Episode 10)

The war nears its climax

Thumbnail image for Marae DIY - Manutuke Marae (Series Three Episode)

Marae DIY - Manutuke Marae (Series Three Episode)

The dining room at Manutuke Marae is a battalion tribute

Thumbnail image for Return from Crete

Return from Crete

Māori Battalion in evacuation of Crete

Thumbnail image for Weekly Review No. 195 - New Zealand Celebrates VE Day

Weekly Review No. 195 - New Zealand Celebrates VE Day

NZ celebrates Victory in Europe

Thumbnail image for Weekly Review No. 183

Weekly Review No. 183

Māori Battalion soldiers roast a pig in this newreel

Thumbnail image for War Years

War Years

Compilation of WWII newsreels

Thumbnail image for Journey to Arras

Journey to Arras

Features men of the Pioneer Māori Battalion in WWI

Thumbnail image for Weekly Review No. 249 - New Zealand and World War II

Weekly Review No. 249 - New Zealand and World War II

A postwar survey of wartime newsreels

Thumbnail image for Let My Whakapapa Speak

Let My Whakapapa Speak

Tainui Stephens also directed this Kōhanga Reo documentary

Thumbnail image for Great War Stories 1 - Rikihana Carkeek

Great War Stories 1 - Rikihana Carkeek

The story of a Māori World War I soldier

Thumbnail image for Compilation - Memories of Service 1

Compilation - Memories of Service 1

Interviews with NZ war veterans

Thumbnail image for Memories of Service 1 - John Wills

Memories of Service 1 - John Wills

Interview with WWII veteran

Thumbnail image for Mercury Lane - Series One, Episode 13

Mercury Lane - Series One, Episode 13

Te Ariki Campbell mourns his Māori Battalion brother

Thumbnail image for Marae DIY - Rongomaraeroa-o-nga-hau e wha Marae (Series 11, Episode Three)

Marae DIY - Rongomaraeroa-o-nga-hau e wha Marae (Series 11, Episode Three)

The NZ Army marae gets a makeover

Thumbnail image for Memories of Service 2 - Roye Hammond

Memories of Service 2 - Roye Hammond

War memories from Crete and Libya

Thumbnail image for The Hill

The Hill

A short film directed by Tainui Stephens

Thumbnail image for Rere Ki Uta, Rere Ki Tai (The Journey)

Rere Ki Uta, Rere Ki Tai (The Journey)

Directed by Tainui Stephens

Thumbnail image for Memories of Service 4 - Steve Danes

Memories of Service 4 - Steve Danes

Memories of serving in the Italian Campaign

Thumbnail image for Monte Cassino - 60 Years On

Monte Cassino - 60 Years On

Documentary on the Battle of Monte Cassino

Thumbnail image for The Prophets - Episode Two

The Prophets - Episode Two

Tainui Stephens also directed this

Thumbnail image for NZ Wars - Stories of Waitara

NZ Wars - Stories of Waitara

Māori fighting against the Crown in the 1800s

Thumbnail image for The Prophets - First Episode

The Prophets - First Episode

More Māori history directed by Tainui Stephens

Thumbnail image for When the Haka Became Boogie - The Showbands (Episode Two)

When the Haka Became Boogie - The Showbands (Episode Two)

Also directed by Tainui Stephens

Thumbnail image for The Black Legacy

The Black Legacy

Documentary on a Māori soldier who fought at Cassino

Thumbnail image for 50 Years of New Zealand Television: 7 - Taonga TV

50 Years of New Zealand Television: 7 - Taonga TV

Documentary on 50 years of Māori programmes

Thumbnail image for Encounter - A Question of Principle

Encounter - A Question of Principle

More New Zealanders fighting fascism

Thumbnail image for Loading Docs 2021 - HAKA haha

Loading Docs 2021 - HAKA haha

Short documentary about cultural appropriation of the haka

Thumbnail image for The Haka

The Haka

Another short film about Māori soldiers in battle