Kiwi Maara – Innovative and Ground Breaking

PUBLICITY RELEASE
JULY 9, 2007

Kiwi Maara – Innovative and Ground Breaking

Maori Television’s innovative and ground breaking tri-lingual gardening show KIWI MAARA is back, premiering on Sunday August 12 at 5.30 PM.

KIWI MAARA is the only tri lingual show on New Zealand television, with interpreter Tania Simon super-imposed in a corner of the screen, simultaneously translating the Maori and English of the three other presenters into New Zealand sign language.

In January of this year, the series received an accolade from the Race Relations Commissioner for its work in this area.

The 11 part series is produced by Auckland based White Gloves Television Productions. KIWI MAARA’S producer Te Hira Henderson says the decision to translate three ways was critical.
“Hearing loss is an important issue that impacts in a major way on our mokopuna, tamariki and whanau. Research would suggest that Maori who are deaf make up thirty per cent of the deaf community.
“For our tamariki and mokopuna the results are particularly stark. In 2001, Maori children under 19 comprised a record 48% of the deafness notifications, despite being only 19% of the population. So it is crucial for the Maori community, both deaf and hearing, to embrace Maori sign language”.
Te Hira says the response from the deaf community has been overwhelmingly positive.
The KIWI MAARA team are back to share their gardening knowledge and know-how, advice and handy tips for all types of gardens in all types of conditions all around New Zealand.
The show provides practical, realistic, and credible horticultural and gardening advice, inspiring and entertaining all gardeners around the motu.

Most importantly, the series has been filmed in order to be season sensitive. When it is potato planting time, that’s when the team will show you the best way to put your potatoes down.

KIWI MAARA will once again be hosted by organics and permaculture enthusiast Teremoana Jones, rongoa Maori expert Rob ‘Pa’ McGowan, Anatonio Te Maioha and Tania Simon.

The KIWI MAARA team:

Teremoana Jones; a lifelong vegetarian with a passion for organics, Teremoana is also trained in permaculture, when homes and farming methods are created in harmony with nature.

Rob McGowan is Pakeha, fluent in reo Maori, and is known to many as ‘Pa’ because he was a priest for many years. Married with a daughter, Rob learned rongoa Maori from the kaumatua of Wanganui and now runs university courses on the subject.

Tania Simon has been signing for a decade, and is one of only two people in Aotearoa fluent in reo Maori, English and sign language. “It’s wonderful to be part of such an important show for the deaf and hearing impaired community,” says the former primary school teacher.

Anatonio Te Maioha: a busy dad and keen environmentalist, Anatonio says KIWI MAARA has inspired him to plant his own organic garden.

Packed with practical everyday advice, KIWI MAARA premieres on Maori Television, August 12 at 5.30 PM

ENDS

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR

Year 2007
Censor Not rated
Duration 11 X half-hour series
Language Maori and English languages

www.maoritelevision.com

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