Maori broadcaster going home to marae

Press, 24 January 1985, Page 4

Maori broadcaster going home to marae

PA Wellington After 20 years in Wellington, Bill Kerekere is going home.

He has just retired from his job as Maori producer and consultant for the Broadcasting Corporation and is returning with his wife to the Gisborne marae where he grew up.

Mr Kerekere said that when he left Gisborne in 1964 to join the then N.Z.8.C., his people told him to come back when he had done his job, and done it well.

“Last year I got the feeling that I had done it,” he said.

“I want to go back while I can still walk, while I can move around.”

After 20 years of trying to be citified he will be return to farming as a member of the Mangatu Blocks Cor-

poration board. “I’m going to find it hard getting back into the world of Maori farming, but my main interest has always been in the land.” Mr Kerekere is from the Ai-Tangata-A-Mahaki tribe, and grew up on the Waihirere marae. His parents spoke little English, and as a child his first language was Maori. But because at the time there was a strong belief that it was important for young Maoris to learn European ways, he was sent away to a Maori boarding school. The headmaster was a proper. Oxford-educated gentleman, and the idea was to turn the boys into English gentleman too, he said.

However, the school burned down, and Bill Kerekere finished his education at his local high school.

It was after a stint in the Army during World War II that he realised just how much of his Maori heritage he had lost. That led to a concerted effort to regain his Maori language, culture, customs and traditions.

This landed him the job in broadcasting. It was the first such appointment made, and Mr Kerekere says the job was complicated. He was expected to provide advice on things Maori for the fledgling television services as well.

“At the time of the appointment the intention was good, but I don’t think the intention was carried out as well as it could be.”

However, he says the last 20 years have brought many changes in the amount of time allocated to Maori and Maori-oriented programmes.