Musical Storytelling Puppets Return To Maori TV

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Musical Storytelling Puppets Return To Maori Television

More timeless traditional tales with a twist return to Maori Television as a new series of TORO PIKOPIKO E! premieres Monday May 28 at 4.30PM.

The children's puppetry programme brings us a cast of more than 80 characters weaving their own special magic. The stories are narrated by a nature spirit called Tikina te Kuia, whose two grandchildren Hoani and Taima comment on and sometimes participate in the stories told beside Tikina's fire.

Completely in te Reo, each episode plays weekdays at 4.30PM and has its own original waiata with acoustic arrangements. Children will be introduced to historical Maori characters “ some from a time when the gods walked alongside humans. These episodes feature the exploits of the Maui brothers, their mother Taranga, sister Hinauri and grandmother Mahuika.

In other episodes, sparkling characters come to life, such as the eel brothers Piha and Poho and feisty Poura te Koura. On the farm, Henare the farmer deals with a runaway piglet called Ponini, in the bush Koro the Kauri tree copes with Gazza the possum.

In the world of insects, Toa the kauri snail has a party gategrashed by a weta called Weriweri and Huha the huhu bug narrowly avoids becoming dinner for Karumaha the spider. Under the ocean, sea creatures such as Hori Te Hapuka, Kuware te Wheke and Tere te Manaia combat human traps and pollution.

The third series of this magical puppetry masterpiece is produced for Maori Television by Toro PikoPiko Productions based in Waitahanui, Taupo.

TORO PIKOPIKO E! premieres Monday 28 May at 4.30PM.

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