Bilingual Maori issues programme begins

Press, 10 November 1986, Page 19

Bilingual Maori issues programme begins

New Zealand’s first, fully bilingual current affairs programme makes its debut this evening on One at 6 p.m. “Nga Take Maori” (Maori Issues) is a halfhour programme produced jointly by TVN’s Maori and current affairs department which will examine issues of particular importance to the Maori community. Presented by Canon Hone Kaa, a respected member of the Maori community and guest presenter of “Koha,” “Nga Take Maori” will feature a panel of four people ea

ich week who will debate issues such as developments in Maori Jan-

guage, the Waitangi Tribunal, housing and economics. A special feature of the programme is that it will be fully subtitled — guests will have the choice of speaking in either Maori or English and subtitles will appear in the alternate language. Thirteen episodes of “Nga Take Maori” are planned, six this year and seven more early in 1987. As well as presenting the programme, Hone Kaa is also the executive producer, working alongside Paul Cutler, the producer of “Eye Witness News.”

Cutler says the idea and

format for “Nga Take Maori” came out of a hui held in Wellington in July, when representatives from TVNZ’s Maori and current affairs departments, as well as members of the Maori community, talked about views they felt could form the basis of programme discussion.

The first programme tackles the fundamental question, He iwi kotahi ranei tatau? (Are we one people?) Joining Hone Kaa will be Apirana Mahuika, Tilly Reedy, Sharon Opai and Albie Tahana, who will talk about how Maori people see themselves and how they would like to be vewed by others.