Series to showcase Maori talent

Press, 9 March 1988, Page 18

Series to showcase Maori talent

A drama series with Maori people at the helm — from the script writers to the actors • — will be screened on television for the first time i early next year. Television New Zealand, the New Zealand Film Commission and a newly formed: group, Te Manuka Film I Trust, are joining forces jto produce six half-hour dramas for television. |

The original idea for the series was developed by Te Manu Aute a group concerned with promoting and supporting “ Maori people involved in acting or writing. j The group i wanted to ensure the project remained in Maori control. They set up |a series of hui from which irepresentatives where chosen — one from Television New Zeland and one from the New Film Commission, and a third to represent Maori people.

From those' hui, the Te Manuka film Trust evolved. Thei name was taken from j two Maori whakatauki i (proverbs) which speak of the manuka bush! and its role as the protector of the small seedlings in the forest. The group aims to do the same from Maori writers and 1 actors who are inexperienced within the television medium. "There is enormous potential for Maori people to use television as an expressive nledium,” says the Television New Zealand representative for Te Manuka Film Trust, Ray Waru, who produced “The Natural World of the Maori” series.

"They have already proved they j are capable of doing so with their work in programmes such as 'Open House’ and ‘Adventurer’ but it is time to make more genuine Maori drama in the sense of Maori people being in control of all aspects of the production of such programmes.” Waru says many Maori writers have been discouraged from being involved with television in the past because they have felt they have had to compromise! themselves culturally. Both Television New Zealand and Te Manuka Film Trust intend to ensure that the same does not happen during this project.; "This project is to remain in Maori hands,” Waru says.l “The script editor is Maori, the actors are Maori, and as may of the technical crew as we can find.” :

Some very well known New Zealand writers are involved with the project. “The aim of the whole series is toi showcase the very best Maori talent. All the work that has been submitted is of a very high standard and there is a huge variety of stories. There are: well known Maori writers like Patricia Grace and Keri Hulme, and there are some stories from very unexpected! people like Dun Mihaka,” Waru says.

All the programmes will be contemporary works and will be produced inboth the Maori and English language. “It is important they are produced in both languages, as Maori drama is an important language resource. They will probably be screened in the same way' as the recent documentary ‘lsrael’ was, with the, Maori programme being screened at a different time.”