Maori broadcaster will be missed by all

Anzac Pikia

Rotorua people have paid tribute to senior Maori broadcaster Anzac Pikia.

Mr Pikia (Ngati Hikairo, Ngati Maniapoto and Ngapuhi) died suddenly in Rotorua on Sunday morning from a medical condition. He was 35.

He graduated from the Waiariki Institute of Technology journalism course in 2002, joining TVNZ's Te Karere as a reporter and worked, since then in Maori broadcasting as a reporter, producer and director, most recently at Te Karere. He also worked for Maori Television's news programme Te Kaea from 2004-08.

Mr Pikia had attended the opening of the Penny Haka art gallery at Whakarewarewa on Friday.

Te Karere host Scotty Morrison (Ngati Whakaue) said he would be greatly missed.

"He was the pillar of Te Karere, the main man really in terms of setting up the day and making sure everybody was on task and making sure things ran smoothly for stories, and making sure stories were of good quality," he told Watea Radio.

The founder of TangataWhenua.com news website and co-facilitator of Digital Natives Academy, Potaua Biasiny-Tule, said Mr Pikia was "the beautiful face of a beautiful language".

"We have lost a young treasure. Watching him on screen, he had such a high calibre of journalism and got the story behind the story, and it was a point of pride that he came through Waiariki," Mr Biasiny-Tule said.

"He was an optimist and loved by all, he will be missed by all."

Mr Biasiny-Tule said he hoped his friend's memory would be honoured through Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori - Maori Language Week - as he was always an advocate for the the language.

Maori Television chief executive Paora Maxwell (Ngati Rangiwewehi) said Mr Pikia was a unique character and was devoted to Maori broadcasting and to the revitalisation of te reo.

Mr Pikia's tangi will be at Parawera Marae in Te Awamutu.