Mana (Auckland)

In July 1977, the first multi-lingual Polynesian newspaper, Mana, was published in Auckland. The fortnightly first appeared in mid-June with a widely distributed ‘dummy run’ of 10,000 give-away copies.

The aim of Mana was to ‘reflect the lives and opinions of the Māori and Pacific Island communities in New Zealand, and to provide information and news in Polynesian languages about New Zealand and the countries of the Pacific.’ (16 June 1977: 4)

The paper was established by the Mana Interim Committee, who also formed the editorial board. This consisted of Joris de Bres, who later became the Race Relations Commissioner; Aiao Kaulima, the Niuean editor; Vapi Kupenga (Ngāti Porou), who was the Māori editor; Wairaki Toevai, the Samoan editor; Nihi Vini who edited the Cook Islands content and Nelson Tupou, who was the Tongan editor.

The first regular eight-page tabloid issue appeared on 14 July and cost 20 cents. Five thousand copies were printed. Articles in Mana were in five Pacific languages – Māori, Samoan, Rarotongan or Cook Island Māori, Tongan and Niuean, as well as English. An article in National Business Review (NBR), on 20 July 1977, noted: ‘The articles in the Polynesian languages are mostly different, being directed to the particular group concerned, but in each case English translations accompany them.’

The newspaper was launched with the backing of the Student Christian Movement which contributed $1,000, which had come originally from the World Council of Churches. There was also $1,700 from the New Zealand Catholic Overseas Aid Committee.

Mana’s operating budget was minimal by commercial newspaper standards. With $300 from advertising per issue, plus subscriptions and casual sales, it was expected to keep within the $1,000 allocated to each issue. Initially, when there was promising advertiser support, it had been decided that advertising should not exceed 25 percent of the available space.

In the beginning, there was one full-time employee, editor John Minty, previously an Auckland Star reporter and later a successful business magazine publisher. As time went on, the paper was run entirely on a volunteer basis. Although there was no hint of the end – in fact, there was an advertisement for a ‘supporter’s subscription of $10 for 1978’ – it appears the issue of 18 May 1978 was Mana’s last issue.