Treasure of Maori stories to air

NZ On Air chief executive Jane Wrightson.

A number of diverse programmes featuring Maori stories have been supported by NZ On Air, bringing more of New Zealand's unique culture and heritage to TV screens.

Kanikani is a new six-part documentary that will follow a group of young Maori hip hop dancers from South Auckland on their journey to the World Champs in Las Vegas.

On Prime, Beyond The Bully will shed a light on the issue of bullying through the deeply personal stories of former All Black Norm Hewitt and Hollywood actor Manu Bennett.

Three Pakipumeka documentaries for Maori Television will explore three very different stories. Raids To Reconciliation looks at the journey of activist and kaumatua Tame Iti, from the 2007 Urewera police raids that branded him and others as terrorism suspects, to the year of reconciliation with police in 2014.

Haka & Guitar will reflect on a ground-breaking approach to peacekeeping employed in Bougainville 18 years ago by the NZ Defence force.

The largely Maori peacekeepers left their weapons behind and took 'the haka and guitar as the weapons of peace'.

The third Pakipumeka documentary is Hautoa Ma!, the story of the burgeoning world of Maori film-making, following a great year for Maori on the big screen.

Meanwhile, the entertaining and informative Maori youth programme 2Kaha will return for a second season, showcasing young successful Maori.

"Maori programmes in English are an essential way of ensuring all New Zealanders have the opportunity to experience stories from the Maori world, and pick up te reo along the way, " NZ On Air chief executive Jane Wrightson said.