Interviewer Extraordinaire

Tu Tangata, Issue 25, 1 August 1985, Page 15

Interviewer Extraordinaire

By Kaikapo Rangihaeata

\\\ / ou’ve got to be nosey,” said y Hone Edwards talking to fifteen journalists who were on a one week introductory journalist course in Wellington.

“You’ve got to make people want to talk to you,” he confidently remarked in his down to earth humble way.

These are some of the tips I grasped from Hone’s korero as he took us from his Kawhia grassroots, through the University of Auckland and down to Canterbury University where his post graduate course in journalism was accomplished.

At the Auckland University he passed his BA in Linguistics, the study of languages. I got the impression he was also schooled well in life by his grandparents, whom he was brought up by. Flowing like a never ending stream in

his delivery of korero pakeha he inspired and encouraged us by saying that the time is ripe for Maori and Polynesian people to become journalists.

All ears and eyes now, you couldn’t hear a pin drop, as we waited like race horse punters for the next tip. Not long and it came.

“The television corporation will take Maoris providing you have equal skill.”

“But don’t be depressed,” he encourages again, “if you are not accepted but continue to write for your local paper.”

Then like the punter he switches to a different horse.

Tihei mauri ora! Hone Edwards talks like a chief. No more depression this time, and better than a tip, this horse is a winner.

“Know who you are, what you are, where you are, when you are and why you are first and foremost. Your maoritanga is the manifestation of your

tupuna, very important. That makes you strong.

“When under pressure stop and take a deep breath and remind yourself of who you are.

“It is this that helps you with your angle as a journalist.” He said the older you get, your Maori side starts to work in different ways.

One of the students asked if you have to be good at communication and quickly replying Hone said, “if you aren’t then you’d better start packing your bags.”

Hone is now at grass roots level as he answers question by question. Talk about nosey journalist. I kept my nose for the post.

The philosophy of Te Karere he says is to “speak slowly and simply” so people can pick it up, especially people learning.

He even tipped us to not go into a Maori area but to work in a paheha area for one year. Reminds me of Sir Apirana Ngata’s famous speech, E tipu e rea...

To go on a race course, sorry I mean a journalism course, is demanding, the skill of writing is a craft, you relate what you see and the words come out of your pen.

At Canterbury University Hone topped his class and no wonder, he was the only Maori journalist down that part of New Zealand.

Shorthand and typing are some things he learnt at Canterbury where you are taught about subjects like newspapers, law, printed medium, radio, television, history of the press and how it has developed.

He attends two local body meetings a week and press conferences where there are many points of view.

The biggest problem of television journalism is finding the time to reduce your story and getting the facts right (one of the golden rules of journalism), said Hone.

Another problem is television going on to marae. It was bad in the past but “you judge it within its own context now,” and an exception may be made for famous people, though the kaumatua at the tupapaku will be approached, said Hone.

We fifteen journalist trainees were overawed by the range of learning and wise words Hone delivered on this wet and cold night.

If Hone Edwards was at the races I’d take him to the pub on the course, but he doesn’t drink, so I’ll leave Hone with Te Karere which has the largest Maori audience coverage in New Zealand.