East Coast Rising receives national recognition, respect

And the winner is . . . East Coast Rising. The Pango Production crew led by East Coast stalwart Bailey Mackey were in celebration mode this week after their documentary series centred on the Ngāti Porou East Coast rugby team won Best Sports Programme at the New Zealand Television Awards. At the awards are the Pango crew (from left) Cameron Pouesi, Mark Taylor, Kat “Hubba” Kaiwai, Ramari Fox (front) Taiau Pomare-Mackey, Bailey Mackey, Paul Thompson and Joe Whitehead. Inset, Faifili Levave, Picture supplied

Ngāti Porou sporting passion and East Coast production company Pango’s technical ability have both received major national recognition.

Earlier this week East Coast Rising, a documentary series about the East Coast Ngāti Porou rugby team, won Best Sports Programme at the national television awards.

Produced by Pango Productions, the show aired last year on TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+, documenting the team’s NPEC 2021 rugby campaign.

The night was a great success for Rangitukia’s Bailey Mackey, who is Pango chief executive and the show’s executive producer.

“It is an honour and a privilege to receive this award. It’s a culmination of everything I love and am passionate about —  storytelling, sport and Ngāti Porou.

“To bring all of this together in something that really resonated with the people of Aotearoa and to be recognised for it is really special.

“It was challenging filming the series which covered such a large area where our players were based, but these are the same challenges the NPEC team face every season. We were there alongside the boys.

“I think this gave the series a real authenticity as the audience felt the struggles of Ngāti Porou first hand.”

Mr Mackey put the show’s success and popularity down to two things — “authenticity and resilience”.

“That’s what Ngāti Porou have in spades, and that’s what made this show stand out. He wiwi.”