Anzac 2025 On Whakaata Māori & Māori+
Press Release – Whakaata Maori
Whakaata Māori again brings Aotearoa together in remembrance and reflection this Anzac Day honouring our servicemen and women and their whānau, beginning with the Dawn Service from Auckland War Memorial Museum at 5.45AM on Friday 25 April.
This year we acknowledge 'A Company' – 'the Gum Diggers' – of the 28th Māori Battalion with several programmes featuring stories from Tāmaki Makaurau and Te Tai Tokerau, including the premiere of a powerful documentary, Ngā Kai Keri Kāpia.
NGĀ KAI KERI KĀPIA follows the niece and grandnephew of Private Taurere from Te Kao who served in A Company and was killed at Monte Cassino, Italy. With only a photo and medals the family sets out to discover his story. We also travel with a group of young Māori from the Leadership Academy in Whangārei, who were the same age as the soldiers of the Māori Battalion when they embarked on an adventure from which many would not return.
TE RAU AROHA – A BROTHERS' JOURNEY follows Peter and John Urlich, as they reconnect with their father through the taonga of Te Rau Aroha Museum at Waitangi.
KIA MATE A URUROA tells the inspirational story of one of Aotearoa's most outstanding war heroes, Hokianga-born Harding Waipuke Leaf (Ngāpuhi, Te Hikutū). He was awarded the Military Cross for bravery in WWI then, at the age of 49, signed up again for WW2 and was a senior officer in 28 Māori Battalion serving with distinction in the battles of Greece and Crete before being killed in action.
TE KAI WHAKAAHUA: SHOOTER OF WAR follows 28 M ā ori Battalion (A Company) officer Major Wally Wordley (Ngāpuhi), who not only carried a gun, but a camera too. Against regulations, he took hundreds of snaps of his comrades throughout the war and wrote secret diaries of daily life and death in the desert.
At 2.30PM we cross live to Turkey for the service from ANZAC COVE in Gallipoli.
Other programming highlights include the premiere of Richard Curtis' short film RAPIDO telling the story of a young Māori boy's fascination with war comics coming closer to home than he could ever imagine.
COMING UP ON ANZAC DAY:
5.45AM: ANZAC 2025 DAWN SERVICE – live from Auckland War Memorial Museum
7.30AM: PREMIERE: TE WHAKAWHITINGA – Hine recounts the story of pāpā, and his eagerness to join the army shortly after the end of World War II.
7.45AM: TE RAU AROHA – A BROTHERS' JOURNEY – Follows Peter and John Urlich, as they reconnect with their father through the taonga of Te Rau Aroha Museum at Waitangi.
8.15AM: STEPHEN FRY: WILLEM AND FRIEDA – DEFYING THE NAZIS: Stephen Fry investigates the inspiring and moving story of a gay man and a lesbian who led anti-Nazi resistance in Holland.
9.30AM: PREMIERE: NGĀ KAI KERI KĀPIA – Two powerful storylines are intertwined, delving into the untold tales of the Māori Battalion. What began as a simple visit to a war cemetery in Belgium uncovers a hidden family history.
10.00AM: TE KAWAU KI TAI: MĀHUHU O TE RANGI – Part one of a six part series looking back on the planning and building of Māhuhu o te Rangi (Aotearoa's largest waka tauā), its voyages on the Waitematā, and its place within the iwi.
10.15AM: OHMS! PROTEST! A CELEBRATION OF RESISTANCE – Robert Reid and his mates set up OHMS, Organisation to Halt Military Service. They began a series of creative disruptive activities all over Aotearoa to overthrow Compulsory Military Training.
10.50AM: PARADISE SOLDIERS – Reveals the sacrifices, the personal stories, and celebrates the contribution of Cook Island soldiers to the New Zealand armed forces from World War I through Vietnam and to present day.
11.45AM: TE KAWAU KI TAI: THE BUILD – We explore the build itself from the first sketch on the rākau to the final chisel strike. It will be based in Whangārei, where master carver and waka builder Heemi Eruera will work his magic.
12.00PM: TAMA TŪ – Six Māori Battalion soldiers camped in Italian ruins tell jokes waiting for night to fall. A tohu brings them back to reality, and they gather to say a karakia before returning to the fray.
12.20PM: TE KAWAU KI TAI: NGĀ KAIHOE – As important as the waka, are the kaihoe who will man it. We follow them as they prepare for this momentous occasion, starting with land training, involving learning haka, ngeri, and technique.
12.30PM: WAR PAINT – 1864. A British soldier lays wounded, dying, in the New Zealand bush after an assault on a Pā during the Waikato Campaign.
12.45PM: TE KAI WHAKAAHUA: SHOOTER OF WAR – follows 28 Maori Battalion (A Company) Major Wally Wordley (Ngāpuhi), who not only carried a gun, but a camera too. Against regulations, he took hundreds of snaps of his comrades throughout the war and wrote secret diaries of daily life and death in the desert.
1.45PM: TE KAWAU KI TAI: NGĀ WĀHINE – Wāhine play a critical role in whānau, hapū, and iwi as whare tāngata (procreators) and whare mātauranga (repositories of knowledge) – but what role do they have in waka taua?
2.00PM: NGĀ KAI KERI KĀPIA – Two powerful storylines are intertwined, delving into the untold tales of the Māori Battalion. What began as a simple visit to a war cemetery in Belgium uncovers a hidden family history.
2.30PM: LIVE: ANZAC DAY GALLIPOLI SERVICE – From Anzac Cove, Turkey.
3.30PM: TE RAU AROHA: A BROTHERS' JOURNEY – Follows Peter and John Urlich, as they reconnect with their father through the taonga of Te Rau Aroha Museum at Waitangi.
4.00PM: KIA MATE Ā URUROA – the inspirational story of one of Aotearoa's most outstanding war heroes, Hokianga-born Harding Waipuke Leaf (Ngāpuhi, Te Hikutū).
5.00PM: LAST MAN STANDING – The emotional journey of the last man standing, Sir Robert Gillies, to fulfil his wish that his mokopuna walk in the footsteps of the 28th Māori battalion eighty years on.
5.30PM: KORO'S MEDALS – When Billy loses his grandfather's precious war medal, getting it back is the least of his worries.
5.45PM: TE KAWAU KI TAI: THE FINAL STAGES – We join Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei in the final stage of their preparations for the launch that will bring all the elements of the waka journey together.
6.00PM: TE WHAKAWHITINGA – Hine recounts the story of her father, Pāpā, and his eagerness to join the army shortly after the end of World War II.
6.15PM: PREMIERE: CHURCHILL: BRITAIN'S SECRET APARTHEID – When Winston Churchill needed the help of the US Army to defeat Hitler, he made a controversial decision to allow America to bring its segregated Army to the UK.
7.15PM: PREMIERE: RAPIDO – A young Māori boy's fascination with war comics comes closer to home than he could ever imagine.
7.30PM: Premiere: THE KEEPER – The remarkable true story of Bert Trautmann, a German prisoner of war who becomes a legendary goalkeeper for Manchester City and finds love amidst the aftermath of World War II.
9.30PM: TE KAWAU KI TAI: TE WHAKAREWATANGA – History will be made as Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei launch their new waka tauā on the Waitematā.
9.45PM; TAONGA: TREASURES OF OUR PAST – Retells precious Māori stories of romance, betrayal, politics and war. Profiles Te Rangitopeora – a fearsome warrior who fought in battle beside her uncle, the mighty Te Rauparaha.
10.20PM: TE RONGO TOA ANZAC SPECIAL – The memories of our Tūpuna remain in the voices of the descendants today. An anthology of Ngā Waiata Pakanga tell the stories about our soldiers and the sacrifices they made for our country.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
an hour ago
- Scoop
Tāmaki Makaurau To Celebrate te ao Māori With Kapa Haka Showcase
Haka fans will come together this weekend to celebrate te ao Māori through haka, waiata and whanaungatanga at Tāmaki Hakangāhau – a non-competitive kapa haka event designed to bring audiences closer to the action. The kaupapa will take place on Saturday at Auckland's Spark Arena, and feature 10 haka rōpū from the region – ranging from veteran performers to tamariki. It also includes a Māori business hub, and a mass waiata singalong to close the night. One of the event organisers, Moko Templeton, said it aimed to turn spectators into participants, with a focus on connection and community. 'This isn't just about watching haka,' she said. 'It's about feeling the whenua shake beneath you, letting tears flow as waiata fills your heart, and leaving with your wairua cup overflowing. 'Whether you're on stage, backstage or in the crowd, you're part of the whānau.' The kaupapa comes just in time for Matariki celebrations, which Templeton said was a time to reflect, reset and reconnect. 'Tāmaki Hakangāhau is our way of wrapping our arms around the entire community.' This year's event included 30-minute kapa haka meet-and-greet sessions – a first for the event – giving haka fans a chance to connect directly with performers backstage. Jeff Ruha, kaiako (tutor) of Te Poho o Hinekahukura, said haka had the power to uplift peopel going through tough times. 'Every performer stands as medicine for whānau going through hardships,' he said. 'The world of haka is sustenance – it feeds souls and heals hearts.' At the end of the event, more than 100 kaihaka will lead a mass performance of 'Waerea', the karakia made famous by Ngā Tūmanako at Te Matatini in 2019. Attendees were encouraged to bring their poi and join in the singalong. Alongside the performances, the arena will also host a kaupapa Māori market with kai, taonga, kākahu and fundraising stalls supporting local whānau, kura and Māori-led initiatives. The event was supported by Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, Spark Arena, Te Matatini, and mana whenua Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei.
Scoop
2 hours ago
- Scoop
Tāmaki Makaurau To Celebrate te ao Māori With Kapa Haka Showcase
Haka fans will come together this weekend to celebrate te ao Māori through haka, waiata and whanaungatanga at Tāmaki Hakangāhau - a non-competitive kapa haka event designed to bring audiences closer to the action. The kaupapa will take place on Saturday at Auckland's Spark Arena, and feature 10 haka rōpū from the region - ranging from veteran performers to tamariki. It also includes a Māori business hub, and a mass waiata singalong to close the night. One of the event organisers, Moko Templeton, said it aimed to turn spectators into participants, with a focus on connection and community. "This isn't just about watching haka," she said. "It's about feeling the whenua shake beneath you, letting tears flow as waiata fills your heart, and leaving with your wairua cup overflowing. "Whether you're on stage, backstage or in the crowd, you're part of the whānau." The kaupapa comes just in time for Matariki celebrations, which Templeton said was a time to reflect, reset and reconnect. "Tāmaki Hakangāhau is our way of wrapping our arms around the entire community." This year's event included 30-minute kapa haka meet-and-greet sessions - a first for the event - giving haka fans a chance to connect directly with performers backstage. Jeff Ruha, kaiako (tutor) of Te Poho o Hinekahukura, said haka had the power to uplift peopel going through tough times. "Every performer stands as medicine for whānau going through hardships," he said. "The world of haka is sustenance - it feeds souls and heals hearts." At the end of the event, more than 100 kaihaka will lead a mass performance of 'Waerea', the karakia made famous by Ngā Tūmanako at Te Matatini in 2019. Attendees were encouraged to bring their poi and join in the singalong. Alongside the performances, the arena will also host a kaupapa Māori market with kai, taonga, kākahu and fundraising stalls supporting local whānau, kura and Māori-led initiatives. The event was supported by Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, Spark Arena, Te Matatini, and mana whenua Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei.
1News
5 hours ago
- 1News
'It tested us' – the Tipenes on pain, joy and a new series
Francis and Kaiora Tipene on harsh times, the cure for anger, the joy of tamariki, Paris, Tonga and their new series of The Casketeers which premieres Wednesday. The Tipenes were in Paris, just the two of them, on a romantic trip with no work, no camera crew, not one of their seven children present. But by day three, Francis Tipene wanted to leave. 'It had been a 36-hour flight to get there,' says his wife, Kaiora. 'We hadn't even been there two nights and he started to pine for our daughter. He said, 'let's go back to our kids'. And so after a couple more days, they did. Francis agrees it was a long way to go, just to turn around. But after seven sons (he has one from a previous relationship, six with Kaiora), 'I finally got the daughter and man, that changed me.' Now almost two, Ngawaiata has just started Kōhanga reo. 'She was counting at 11 months,' says Francis. 'Tahi, rua... And English too. All these things just make all my problems go away.' ADVERTISEMENT Ah yep, problems. Since before Ngawaiata was born, the Tipenes have been dealing with big, dreadful, public problems. First stop is Tonga in the new series launching Wednesday, June 11. (Source: TVNZ) To recap: Last month their long-term employee at Tipene Funerals, Fiona Bakulich, was sent to prison for interfering with human remains and obtaining money by deception. The victims, all grieving families, were subjected to experiences ranging from the distressing (lifting the lid of a loved one's coffin to discover the metal lining they'd paid for was absent), to the financially gutting (Bakulich took a total of more than $16,000 from families, charging them for various bogus fees and fines as well as products, such as the metal liners, they didn't receive.) Fiona Bakulich, a former employee of Tipene Funerals (Source: 1News) The revelations of the trial were heavy, the coverage thorough and not always accurate (there were no bodies placed in rubbish bags). And while the Tipenes grappled with a sense of betrayal from someone they'd considered a sister and a tuakana, they were also subjected to harsh scrutiny and public judgement themselves. Why hadn't they seen what was going on, checked for it, acted sooner? The media asked the questions and social media scrambled to provide the answers. The comments got ugly, says Kai. 'In a way it's a good thing. It's teaching me that I don't have to please everybody. If you see the show, my husband and I are all about people pleasing.' For a business and a TV brand built on light humour, deep respect and te ao Māori, the case was a lot to come back from. ADVERTISEMENT 'When it came to the process side of things, we knew how to deal with it,' says Kaiora. 'But when it came to the emotional side of it? Nah. As a couple, 'it certainly tested us," she says. "I hope at some point we look back and go yeah well that was one ugly phase..." Francis and Kaiora Tipene gave their first interview to TVNZ's Marae. (Source: Marae) 'When your business has been misconstrued in the public eye, you are judged and you start not liking yourself and it's easy to get lost,' she says. 'You start losing control of everything. How can I give to my staff and my tamariki if I'm not right? I could feel myself crumbling and going to the person who I lean on and he was crumbling... I thought, man one of us has got to keep it together or we're both going to fall.' Kaiora is driving and talking to 1News on the phone. Later we also talked to Francis, who was no less frank. The experience was his first real insight into depression, he says. 'I never thought I'd be one of those people, in bed, close the curtains, 'don't talk to me'. But when your face is plastered in the Herald for one week straight, it's like wow... ADVERTISEMENT Francis and Kaiora Tipene with some people they met in Vanuatu. (Source: TVNZ) 'I'm grateful that my wife is such a strong lady. I look back and I'm like, why wasn't I the one keeping us going? I failed. I was like, close the curtains, turn the light off. The traditional male role is to keep the family together – I know times are changing and I don't want to get into that argument – but the public shaming, the way it was reported, it was devastating.' Along with friends and whanau, it was the Tipene Funerals staff who saved Francis. 'My staff were like, 'why do you always go missing every time something [negative is written] about you? Forget it! You were the one who put yourself on TV. 'The staff were cruel but it was what I needed. Obviously, my wife was saying the same thing, but sometimes it takes someone else.' The power of a suit One day, after a month of lying around in shorts and a T-shirt, Francis felt the urge to put on a suit. 'Because I felt like a nothing. Then I also put my shoes on and thought, 'bugger it I'll drive to work'. At the funeral home there was a grieving family and Frances was asked to do a prayer. It made him feel human again. 'Because I'd been feeling like the devil, stuck at home in bed.' So their work as funeral directors continued, but what about the show? Would there be another season of the internationally successful Casketeers? ADVERTISEMENT There would. The seventh season launches on Wednesday and takes a fresh form with the Casketeers travelling around the world, learning how other cultures deal with death. For the emotionally struggling Tipenes, it was a tonic. 'The production company were so understanding,' says Kaiora. 'They'd say 'today's newspapers are tomorrow's fish 'n' chip papers!'.' Kaiora and Francis Tipene in Canada. (Source: Supplied) Canada, India, Vanuatu, Japan and – most meaningfully for Francis – Tonga. He'd never been there but his grandparents on his dad's side were both Tongan. And although he says the flavour of his upbringing leaned more Māori, the island of his ancestors felt familiar. 'It was eerily similar to the way I was brought up, up North, making do with what we had out in the yard. My kids don't do that, everyone is on the blimmin wi-fi...I had a nostalgic feeling watching the children making fun out of branches and bits of plastic. Everyone is so happy among all this... I wouldn't actually call it poverty, it looks poor to us, but they are happy and content, that's how I was as a kid. It felt like home.' 'The anger comes in my quiet times' Each time the Tipenes were about to head off with the TV crew for another three-week trip, leaving their six boys with trusted whanau and taking Ngawaiata with them, Francis would worry. 'You're always thinking, what is the point of this when all of this other stuff is going down? This mistake by one person has ruined us. But the minute we stepped onto the plane we forgot about it. You fly off and it's an adventure.' ADVERTISEMENT Then you fly home, and hell awaits? 'Oh yes,' says Francis. 'I'd hear 'prepare the cabin for landing', and I'd think, oh gosh, here we go.' Even now, he wrestles with uncomfortable emotions. The depression has gone but bouts of anger have taken its place. 'When you're made out to be someone you're not and you have to wait until it's all over for the truth to come out. The anger comes in my quiet times. I'm sitting there eating lunch and, oh, I'm angry again.' The cure, he says, is deep breaths and taking a walk. 'You think what the heck is a walk going to do? It does a lot.' And then there are the kids. 'They don't care, they've got basketball, rugby... that's helped us move forward.' Ngawaiata has been a beautiful distraction through most of the ordeal - she was born five weeks early in 2023, the evening her parents returned from a painful meeting with one of the families affected by Bakulich's crimes. 'When she arrived things had broken out and we knew what was going on,' says Francis. 'She was the light for us and she still is to this day.' ADVERTISEMENT The Casketeers: Life and Death Around the Globe, premieres 7.30pm, Wednesday, June 11, TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+.
