Publicity Release
Tuesday January 10 2005
A Marriage of Pacific Islands Culture on Maori Television
Maori Television is overseeing a marriage of cultures on its schedule from Wednesday January 25 at 10.00 PM with the
launch of a new series, PANUI PASIFIKA.
Produced by Front of the Box Productions (Takataapui, Iwi Toa, Putahi Taakaro) and the Waiata Artist Trust, the series
is a programme for and about people of both Maori and Pacific Island descent.
Over 13 weeks PANUI PASIFIKA deals with serious issues particular to the South Pacific with presenter Tuaratini
providing an opportunity for open dialogue on our shared history and future.
A Cook Islander of Rarotonga and Mangaian descent, Tuaratini is a fluent speaker of both NZ Maori and Cook Islands
Maori. Although this is her first role as a television presenter, Tuaratini has been a radio broadcaster for 10 years
and is well known to Pacific Island and Maori people as the presenter on Niu FM’s show The Heat.
“I am passionate about Maori and Pacific Island issues and I look forward to sharing our people’s common stories on
Maori Television,”she says.
In the opening episode, the series looks at the rise of Maori action group Nga Tamatoa and the birth of the Polynesian
Panthers. The episode also backgrounds the recent demonstrations for democracy in Auckland and Tonga, looks back in time
to the Mau independence movement in Samoa and concludes with a visit with Te Taimi o Tonga newspaper publisher Kalafi
Moala.
Further in the series, the show stops in to get funky with Maori and Pacific Island styles in music, looks at Maori and
Pacific identity in Aotearoa, checks out the rise of Pacific media and much more.
Join Maori Television for a marriage of cultures with the launch of PANUI PASIFIKA on Wednesday January 25 at 10.00 PM.
ENDS
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR PANUI PASIFIKA
Year 2005
Censor General Exhibition (G)
Duration 13-part, half-hour series
Language Maori and Pacific Island languages