50 Years of New Zealand Television: 7 - Taonga TV

We'd managed to talk the powers that be of television to say simple greetings at the beginning of the news and the weather, to say 'kia ora'. And it caused an outrage. People were absolutely offended...

– Rawiri Paratene, on reaction to te reo on the news in the 1970s

Many New Zealanders were introduced to the Māori world for the first time through the iconic documentary series Tangata Whenua. It's a genuine taonga and remains the common ancestor of all Māori television today.

– Narrator John Leigh

No one could really believe this was New Zealand; it could have been Peru or Kathmandu!

– Director Barry Barlcay on showing footage for TV series Tangata Whenua to his Pacific Films colleagues

I think that the role of our television is to be our television.

– Filmmaker Libby Hakaraia

We are providing a form of television public broadcasting that has not been seen for a long time in this country.

– Māori Television CEO Jim Mather

It was a great thing to have a story that spoke directly to us [Māori] in our lounge. It was a magical thing and made me think 'I wouldn't mind doing that'.

– Actor Rawiri Paratene on early 1970s drama series Pukemanu

While competence brings language to the lips, it hasn't quite reached the heart.

– Broadcaster Whai Ngata on the challenges of te reo in the 21st Century

Whenever we were portrayed on television the framework wasn't ours. We weren't defined by ourselves and by who we were in those times. We were framed very much with a western construct.

– Filmmaker Merata Mita, on early representation of Māori on television

It was programming that showed it was cool to be Māori.

– Narrator John Leigh on youth series Mai Time

One day, when the world is a better place, Māori TV will be mainstream.

– Tau Henare