Tangata Whenua

Tangata Whenua was a groundbreaking six-part documentary series that screened (remarkably in prime time) in 1974. Each episode chronicled a different iwi and included interviews with kaumātua by historian Michael King. These remain a priceless historical record. The Feltex Award-winning script was by King and director Barry Barclay. The NZ Broadcasting Corporation said the series had "possibly done more towards helping the European understand the Māori people, their traditions and way of life, than anything else previously shown on television". In 2023 the show was restored by Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision. Paul Diamond writes about the series here.