More than hockey
(the first documentary ever to be entirely in Te Reo Māori) was a remarkable story of pride, passion, and determination capturing the journey of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ruamata's rise to the upper echelons of hockey in Aotearoa, as they became the first Māori immersion school in a century to compete in the prestigious Rankin Cup.
It was the subject of an RNZ online series and was nominated for Best Documentary Series and won Best Māori Programme at the New Zealand TV Awards.
Ruamata Series Two is back, and this season it's definitely more than hockey. The hockey players are taking their skills and language further afield to South Africa.
Ruamata 2 is released at
5pm
on Monday on www.rnz.co.nz
Series Producer Kereama Wright talks to Mihi.
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RNZ News
2 hours ago
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Twenty years of 'Bird of the Year' in one book
The Australasian Crested Grebe won Bird of the Century in 2023. Photo: Dave Thomas E koekoe te tūī, e ketekete te kākā, e kūkū te kererū - The tūī chatters, the kākā cackles and the kererū coos. That is a whakataukī (proverb) mentioning just three of the 80 birds - and one bat - included in the new Bird of the Year book. Writer Ellen Rykers, the former campaign lead, told Saturday Morning that New Zealand's largest book publisher, Penguin Random House, had asked Forest & Bird to turn the competition into a book subject. "At the time, I was part of the team organising Bird of the Year and, with my background in science writing, it just sort of seemed like a natural fit for me to take on this project," she said. Rykers said the book was a "feast for the eyes", with more than a dozen illustrators, who were selected, "not only because they draw beautiful birds, but because they also are dedicated to supporting conservation through their work". "Even if you don't dive into the words, it's just beautiful to look at." Photo: Supplied / Penguin Books New Zealand To decide which native birds - and bat - were included, Rykers went back through the last 20 years of the Bird of the Year competition and chose ones that had interesting stories - whether they be related to the competition - from television host John Oliver and rumours of Russian interference to controversial mammalian infiltration or their histories. "I mean, it's all fun and humorous, but there is that kind of serious undertone," she said. "More than 80 percent of our native birds are at risk or threatened with extinction, but at the end of the day, I hope that people read it and fall in love, and feel hopeful, because a lot of the stories are about people who are out there on the ground, making a difference." Ellen Rykers Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon Rykers added the three main things threatening our manu were predators, habitat loss and climate change. However, she said the Bird of the Year competition had become a fundraiser for Forest & Bird, particularly in 2023, when the pūteketeke, also known as the Australasian crested grebe, was named the Bird of the Century , after a campaign by Oliver. The competition raised more than $1.2 million . "Forest & Bird didn't really have any idea, ahead of time, exactly the scale of the campaign. We knew that it would be beyond anything that we'd ever seen before and we knew that there would be sort of international aspects, but we didn't realise that he'd be paying for billboards on the busiest intersection in Tokyo and on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. "That really propelled quite an unknown bird - an under the radar bird or an 'underbird' - into the spotlight." A shot from US comedian John Oliver's segment on New Zealand's Bird of the Year on 5 November 2023. Photo: Screengrab Rykers said it did not start out that way. "It didn't raise any money back in 2005, when it started, but it has become a way for people to express that love for birds, by supporting them financially, as well as with their vote." The competition had also grown considerably since then. "I think partly it's because we're a nation of birdlovers and we have named ourselves after one of our national birds, so it's really part of our identity as New Zealanders, but we also don't like to take ourselves too seriously, so there's that cheeky quality, I think, that really appeals. "Those two kind of things, I think, have really propelled Bird of the Year to become a fixture on our annual calendar." There had been scandals in the competition - even to the origin of Bird of the Year , which was when RNZ's Morning Report had suggested getting rid of the daily bird call. "This provoked such an outrage," Rykers said. "Michael Szabo, who was the communications manager at Forest & Bird at the time, took notice of this and he listened to all these people sending in messages about all the birds that they loved. "He had come across this concept of a Bird of the Year competition working in Europe... and he thought, 'Okay, this is a great opportunity to give this a go here in New Zealand'." Including the pekapeka-tou-roa - or the long-tailed bat - was another one. "There was a Forest & Bird staff member, Debs Martin, who had been campaigning quietly for its inclusion for a long time. "At the same time, a high school teacher, Peter Wills, he had the exact same idea. 'Why don't we put the pekapeka-tou-roa in Bird of the Year ?', and so he and his students, and a bat expert took on that campaign. "We only have a couple of native bat species, so there's never going to be a Bat of the Year , but they face many of the same threats that our native birds do." There had been voting scandals - in 2015, two teenage girls tried to rig the results in favour of the kōkako. In 2018, one person voted for the shag more than 3000 times, while in 2017, fake email accounts were created to bolster support for the white-faced heron. In 2020, about 1500 fraudulent votes were cast for the kiwi pukupuku, but Rykers said the first scandal actually happened in 2010. "Somehow, it infiltrated an online community of people really passionate about the kākāriki. "At the time, the Bird of the Year website was admittedly quite flimsy... and they just saw this huge explosion in votes that was someone manipulating the numbers. "They were quite nervous about admitting that and so they didn't actually say anything until the year after." Voting for the 2025 Bird of the Year competition will open on 15 September. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
3 hours ago
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Can My Father's Partner Take His House?
Got questions? RNZ is launching a new podcast, No Stupid Questions with Susan Edmunds, next month. We'd love to hear more of your questions about money and the economy. You can send through written questions, like these ones, but - even better - you can drop us a voice memo to our email questions@ What happens if my father owns a house, but now has a partner for several years who moved in to the house and has put the power in her name to prove she's lived there for a certain time. If my father dies before her with no will, will she get the house or us kids? Justine Wood is a specialist trustee at Public Trust and helped me answer your question. Basically, when someone dies without a will, it's referred to as "dying intestate". That means specific legislation comes into play that determines who will get which bits of the person's estate. That means the partner may well be entitled to a share of the house. "Based on the family circumstances you've outlined, the partner may be entitled to receive the personal chattels, such as vehicles, furniture and jewellery, the first $155,000 of the estate and a third share of the remainder of the estate," she said. "This will depend on the couple meeting the legal criteria of having a de facto relationship at the time. The remaining two thirds of anything left would be distributed equally between his children. "Administering an estate when there is no will can be costly and take longer to sort out. Having a will helps your family understand what you'd like done with your estate after your gone - and it makes the process of managing your passing less stressful on loved ones." The Administration Act defines de facto relationship in line with the Property (Relationships) Act. This said a de facto relationship is a couple who are at least 18, living together as a couple and not married or in a civil union. Things that might be taken into account are the duration of the relationship, the nature and extent of common residence, whether there is a sexual relationship, the degree of financial interdependence and dependence, ownership of property, the degree of mutual commitment to a shared life, the care and support of children, performance of household duties and the reputation and public aspects of the relationship. It would make sense for your father to draw up a will. Even with a will, his partner may have rights under the Property (Relationships) Act - they may need to sign a contracting out agreement if he wants to ensure that the property is left to you. Are there any disadvantages in keeping KiwiSaver funds there in KiwiSaver after retirement age? Is it best to fill the forms now and take some, if not all? There really is no disadvantage to leaving your money in KiwiSaver once you're retired, if that's what makes the most sense for you at the moment. It would be a good idea to get some advice on the funds your money is invested in, though. Depending on how much you've got in your KiwiSaver, it might make sense to divide it up and invest it in a few different funds. You might have some in a conservative or even cash fund that you can tap into if you need it in the near term, for unexpected bills or things like that, some in a balanced fund for the medium term and then some money in a growth fund for the longer term. The growth fund will probably bump around a bit but should deliver better returns overall, which might help make your money last longer through your retirement.
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6 hours ago
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GENEVA AM Shares Her New Album Pikipiki
Geneva AM is the moniker of Geneva Alexander-Marsters (she/her, Ngāti Ruapani mai Waikaremoana, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa, Aitutaki, Palmerston), an award winning producer, beat maker and vocalist based in Tāmaki Makaurau. Her bilingual approach to songwriting has been prominent throughout her musical career, most notably with the band SoccerPractise (2012-2018) and her debut release IHO (Waiata / Anthems). IHO went on to win Te Tohu Puoro o te reo Māori (Favourite Song featuring Te Reo Māori) at the 2023 Student Radio Network Awards. In 2024, she released the single 'T(M)²I' (Tangaroa Made Me Ill) in two versions (te reo and English), followed by 'Pikipiki' which amassed over 200,000 streams on Spotify. A seasoned live performer, Geneva AM has recently performed alongside Che Fu, Anna Coddington, Ladi6 and Suzi Cato. Following the release of her singles Pikipiki (feat. Samara Alofa), Hawkins, Rewi McLaya & Mara TK, Urban Planning, and Toitū Te Tiriti, Geneva AM is excited to unveil her debut album, Pikipiki, now available on digital platforms and vinyl LP. On 'Pikipiki' Geneva AM intends to uplift listener's wairua and encourage them to overcome life's obstacles. Throughout the album she pays homage to waiata she grew up with, providing a modern treatment of 'Purea Nei' by Hirini Melbourne, 'Pokarekare Ana' by the returning soldiers of WWI and 'Tutira Mai Ngā Iwi' by Wiremu Te Tau Huata. Pikipiki takes a piecemeal approach to genre, utilising Classical, Dance, Drum'n'Bass, and Emo Rock to accompany new bilingual songs and reimagined covers of Aotearoa favourites. The album features a number of collaborations, with appearances from Mara TK, Hawkins, Samara Alofa, and Rewi McLay, alongside the puoro of Tyson Campbell (Pikipiki); Nga Whetu Ensemble arranged by Eric Scholes (Toitū Te Tiriti); Ruby Walsh (Na Noise, Lips); Fiona Campbell (Guardian Singles, Coolies) and Lani Purkis (Elemeno P) on 'Pokarekare Ana.' To celebrate the album's release, Geneva AM has shared the music video for its standout track, Tīpuna Rākau, a collaboration with Louis Olsen and artist Kahurangiariki Smith, made with support from Te Māngai Pāho. Tīpuna Rākau is essential Geneva AM, disco rhythms and pulsing synths lay the foundation for her powerful vocal sung in Te Reo Māori. The accompanying video is an amalgamation of ideas and themes dedicated to the infinite possibilities within the realm of Te Kore which is both a place of the beginning and the end. "This waiata speaks to the cycle of our lineage as descendants," explains Geneva AM. "It is so beautiful to be part of a legacy and even though we may not know every single name of our ancestors I feel optimistic about the future and one day joining them in the next realm to spiritually serve the next generation." "I wanted to reference science fiction, especially Princess Leia from the Star Wars films so I wear her iconic hairstyle made by the very talented make up artist Levonne Scott. Growing up, Princess Leia was my role model because she is the definition of a mana wahine. Her kindness, strength and resilience throughout the series shaped me. I also wanted to show appreciation to the Star Wars franchise because they made it possible for Māori actors like Temuera Morrison and Keisha Castle-Hughes to be cast as characters in that universe. Representation of Māori in live action Hollywood films wasn't really present and those actors carved the way for Tangata Whenua to be included on the world stage. There are also a lot of familiar themes that align with Māori kaupapa such as rebelling against the empire, light sabre taiaha and using 'The Force'." Tīpuna Rākau sees Geneva AM return to work with key collaborators. "The moko kauae design was made by Rewi McLay who features in the single 'Pikipiki' and developed that particular design for his music video 'Ka Puta' by Kiko. Costume designer 6x4 Online A.K.A. Steven Junil Park returned to this video with another beautiful garment which added to the celestial theme." "Artist Kahurangiariki makes works which reside within the realm of Te Kore, a fundamental concept representing the void, nothingness or the potential being from which all things originate. Te Kore is not an empty space but rather a realm of potential where the seeds of existence emerge. Her approach to kowhaiwhai as an environment in this realm allows the audience to connect with the data that weaves together time and space while documenting the present and ancient pathways which connect us to our ancestors. Louis Olsen (The Dream Machine, SXSW 2025) collaborated with Kahurangiariki to embed her artwork and match the camera angles with the visual elements in these swirling movement based continuum that implies the infinite space and time of the realm where I'm is situated in."
