Nineteen Māori knights and dames get up close and personal in a new series premiering on Māori Television next week.
TE NGĀKAU TAPATAHI talks to 19 legends, including Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Sir Buck Shelford, Sir Tipene O’Regan and Sir Ian Taylor.
The new series from the Māori Television newsroom premieres weekdays from Monday 17 January at 12.00 PM. The first five
episodes will be available on Māori+ from Sunday 16 January and the full series available from Sunday 23 January.
Director, Aroha Awarau, says the series aims to honour their legacies and inspire rangatahi.
“Long before the term ‘influencer’ entered the lexicon, we had these original influencers who scaled the pinnacle of
success in their respective fields and, in so doing became role models for subsequent generations of rangatahi,” says
Aroha Awarau.
Sir Mason Durie revealed how awkward it was to be referred to as Sir.
“It took me a long time to get used to people calling me ‘sir’ and I still feel awkward. Basically, it didn’t change me
and it hasn’t changed the direction that we are moving in,” he said.
Tennis champion, Dame Ruia Morrison, joked: “I’ve been called many things in my life but never a Dame.”
The knights and dames have achieved across multiple fields from entertainment to law and social justice; from healthcare
to iwi leadership; from business to te reo advocacy and education.
Their thoughts and more are revealed across 10 episodes, which launches the new season of Te Ao Māori news from January
31.
Coming up on TE NGĀKAU TAPATAHI:
MONDAY 17 JANUARY AT 12.00 PM: Sports Heroes – Sir Buck Shelford (Rugby); Dame Ruia Morrison (Tennis)
TUESDAY 18 JANUARY AT 12.00 PM: Songbirds – Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Dame Hinewehi Mohi
WEDNESDAY 19 JANUARY AT 12.00 PM: Governors General – Dame Cindy Kiro, Sir Jerry Mateparae
THURSDAY 20 JANUARY AT 12.00 PM; Educators – Sir Pou Temara, Sir Toby Curtis
FRIDAY 21 JANUARY AT 12.00 PM: The Durie brothers – Sir Mason Durie, Sir Eddie Durie
MONDAY 24 JANUARY AT 12.00 PM: Ngāi Tahu Leader – Sir Mark Solomon, Sir Tipene O’Regan.
TUESDAY 25 JANUARY AT 12.00 PM: Wāhine crusaders – Dame Naida Glavish, Dame Iritana Tāwhiwhirangi
WEDNESDAY 26 JANUARY AT 12.00 PM: Māori Women’s Welfare League leaders – Dame Aroha Reriti-Crofts, Dame Areta Koopu
THURSDAY 27 JANUARY AT 12.00 PM: Law and justice crusaders – Sir Kim Workman,
Sir Joe Williams
FRIDAY 28 JANUARY AT 12.00 PM: Visionary – Sir Ian Taylor