* Pacific Media Watch Online - check the website for archive and links:
* Post a comment on PMW's Right of Reply:
TVNZ TO SCREEN GANG GIRLS DOCO
AUCKLAND (Front of the Box/Pacific Media Watch): Television New Zealand will next week screen Gang Girls, a powerful new
documentary telling the stories of seven women from the country's most notorious gangs.
This is the first time on New Zealand television that gang women have told their stories, and they tell their very
personal stories with honesty and passion that will intrigue and fascinate, horrify and humble the most hardened of
hearts.
The documentary is being broadcast on TV2 at 8.30 pm on November 20. For many of these women their journey starts with
their childhood where extreme but contradictory experiences were a normal part of life. These women experienced a sense
of loss and gain, extreme violence and brutality, strength, loyalty and power.
Their stories can be horrifying but compelling, heart rendering but inspirational. But throughout the telling the women
show dignity and humour.
… Lillian Noble was an original patched member of Mongrel Mob Ponsonby chapter. This was in the late 1970s and early
1980s when the gangs were very active. She saw herself as equal to a man and demanded she be treated accordingly.
… Faye Manukau was president of Papakura Black Power women¹s chapter in the mid 1980s. She ruled the roost for more than
10 years, enjoying most of the privileges that the male members enjoyed.
… Marlene Te Pania has been in and out of different gangs since she was 15 years old. She explains her childhood as
being "Once Were Warriors lifestyle to the max". At 42, she has made the Mongrel Mob her family for the last 20 years.
… Zelma Cook, 46, has been involved with King Cobra Gang Member Kaa Kalili for four years. She is neither bothered nor
concerned about her partner¹s involvement in the gang and prefers the sideline stance.
… Bosi and Shilo live in Porirua and have been involved with the Porirua Mob since the early 1970s. Both have been
partners of Mongrel Mob members. "It¹s like an urban whanau".
… Glennis Dennehy is an academic and has written the acclaimed and controversial Girls in the Gang after being involved
in gang culture through her partner. She wishes her children hadn¹t experienced or seen extreme violence but "If things
were different I wouldn¹t be the person that I am today".
Producer Claudette Hauiti says: "Some of the Gang Girls profiled here are members of our whanau and it¹s easy for us to
take the lives they lead for granted.
The brutal honesty of these women is inspiring, but they mustn¹t be viewed as martyrs, but as waahine toa living on the
edge and surviving tough lives."
Gang Girls has two directors -- Award Winner John Bates Director of 1951 as consulting director and emerging director
Paula Jones.
For more information contact FRONT OF THE BOX PRODUCTIONS, Producer Claudette Hauiti 021896163, Director Paula Jones
021606157, Consulting director John Bates 025819594 chauiti@frontofthebox.co.nz
+++niuswire
PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH ONLINE http://www.pmw.c2o.org
PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH is an independent, non-profit, non-government organisation comprising journalists, lawyers, editors
and other media workers, dedicated to examining issues of ethics, accountability, censorship, media freedom and media
ownership in the Pacific region. Launched in October 1996, it has links with the Journalism Program at the University of
the South Pacific, Bushfire Media based in Sydney, Journalism Studies at the University of PNG (UPNG), the Australian
Centre for Independent Journalism (ACIJ), Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand, and Community Communications
Online (c2o).
(c)1996-2002 Copyright - All rights reserved.
Items are provided solely for review purposes as a non-profit educational service. Copyright remains the property of the
original producers as indicated. Recipients should seek permission from the copyright owner for any publishing.
Copyright owners not wishing their materials to be posted by PMW please contact us. The views expressed in material
listed by PMW are not necessarily the views of PMW or its members.
Recipients should rely on their own inquiries before making decisions based on material listed in PMW. Please copy
appeals to PMW and acknowledge source.
For further information, inquiries about joining the Pacific Media Watch
listserve, articles for publication, and giving feedback contact Pacific
Media Watch at: E-mail: delaro@clear.net.nz pcronau@hotmail.com Fax: (+679) 30 5779 or (+612) 9660 1804 Mail: PO Box 9,
Annandale, NSW 2038, Australia or, PO Box 78028, Auckland 1002, New Zealand. New website: www.pmw.c2o.org