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RNZ News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
The show giving rangatahi a bird's eye view of their kāinga
A new children's series is giving tamariki Māori the chance to take the pilot's seat, using drone technology to see their marae and tūrangawaewae from a different angle. The 10-part digital series Fly My Pepeha - produced by Rotorua-based Natives On Screen - is the first kids show to use FPV (First Person View) drone technology. It features different tamariki in each episode, sharing stories of their whānau, iwi, marae, maunga, awa and rohe. Producer Lilly Jordan (Te Arawa) said Fly My Pepeha began by combining their passion for drone technology with creating content that would appeal to her two te reo Māori-speaking tamariki, "Both of our kids are very technically savvy, they're into, like a lot of tamariki their age, into innovation into technology and IT, but there's not a lot of options for reo Māori content in those spaces." Each of the series 10 episodes features different tamariki sharing the stories of their home and getting the chance to put on the goggles and see it for the themselves from above. One of Fly My Pepeha's main narrators - 13-year-old Moko Peni from Rotorua. Photo: Supplied/Natives on Screen Jordan said one of her favourites was when they traveled into the rohe (region) of Tūhoe. "Just seeing our tamaiti there really come alive when she saw her awa in a completely different perspective from the sky. And just seeing a kid that would normally be really quiet become really animated and excited to see her whenua and to see her awa." Drone pilot George Jordan said the best reaction probably came from Moko Peni, the narrator of episode one. "[We] went up to Mount Tarawera and we did a big fly around of the crater up there, big high dives and coming down the cliff faces and stuff. Just watching him buzz out on that was pretty cool." The team had the chance to film in different locales across the Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Rotorua and down to Taupō. George said his favourite vista was at Raukokore in the eastern Bay of Plenty. "I just love flying spots that nobody has ever flown," he said. George Jordan testing out the drone behind the scenes of Fly My Pepeha. Photo: Supplied/Natives on Screen Lilly Jordan said her favourite view was flying over the crater of Mount Tarawera. "Even for us as adults exploring our whenua that way with our kids was awesome," she said. The crew was 100 percent Māori, predominantly from the Te Arawa region where there is a really filmmaking base, she said. "We're all parents, we all have reo Māori speaking kids, but for all of us the highlight was seeing all of our tamariki get excited about reengaging with their whenua and their marae and doing that at speed from the sky." Right from the outset, the kids guided the crew on the kōrero they wanted to share and how they wanted to express their love for their whenua, she said. All parts of the story are told from the tamariki perspective and the crew were just there to capture it. George Jordan said all the tamariki they worked with were awesome, and none were intimidated by the drone's eight motors and eight-inch blades. "It's a very, very big drone, could be quite intimidating, but none of them really were scared of it, they embraced it." Lilly Jordan said it seems that some of the kids want to carry on working behind and in front of the camera. "So we're hoping that it's something that leads to them pursuing storytelling for themselves in the future. Another thing that we're doing, that we've just started of the side of Fly My Pepeha is we've created a charitable trust called Te Rereao Trust, and so that's about creating education pathways for our tamariki into the screen industries and also into drone operation." "FPV is a pretty niche market, there's not many pilots out there so I want to get as many Māori speaking FPV pilots into the hobby," George Jordan added. Lilly Jordan was hopeful that whānau around the country and living overseas away from their homes will be able to watch Fly My Pepeha and reconnect with their whenua. Fly My Pepeha is spoken entirely in te reo Māori, with English subtitles, the series is also being translated into Mandarin and Spanish. It is available to watch on the Māori+ app and Air New Zealand have picked up the series to be on flights around the world. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
New Māori-Led Kids Series Explores Identity From Above
A new children's series airing this Sunday <<20 July>> is giving tamariki the chance to take the pilot's seat, using drone technology to share stories about their identity and whakapapa from above. Fly My Pepeha is bringing together te reo Māori, drone technology, and tamariki-led storytelling in a fresh, innovative format. Produced by Rotorua-based Natives On Screen, the 10-part, 10-minute digital series features different tamariki in each episode, sharing stories of their whānau, iwi, marae, maunga, awa, and rohe. Fly My Pepeha is the first of its kind globally to use FPV (First Person View) drone technology in a children's show. It is spoken entirely in te reo Māori, with English subtitles. The series is also being translated into Mandarin and Spanish, opening up educational and cultural connection opportunities for reo Māori-speaking rangatahi. Natives On Screen Producer, Lilly Jordan, says the series is a bold step forward in combining indigenous storytelling with cutting-edge technology. 'We're pushing the boundaries of what kids' content can look like, not just in Aotearoa but worldwide. 'Giving tamariki the space to lead, speak in their own reo, and be seen from their perspective, is a powerful shift in how we reflect their lives on-screen.' Advertisement - scroll to continue reading Jordan says it is the first time drone technology and pepeha have been used in this way to help tamariki share their stories with viewers. 'Visually speaking, it's an exciting and accessible format, but more significantly, it is deeply rooted in who we are and our whakapapa.' Shot across locations including Rotorua, Taupō, Tauranga Moana, Ōpape, Rotoiti, Morrinsville, and Te Tairāwhiti, the use of FPV drones helps capture the landscape from a tamariki perspective, bringing a unique sense of immersion to each episode. Behind the scenes, the production was led by a Māori creative team and developed in close collaboration with local communities. Jordan says tamariki were involved throughout the process, from voiceovers to on-ground filming, making the series a genuine reflection of their experiences, thoughts, and outlook. 'We wanted to make something that felt empowering for our kids. They're not just on screen, they're the ones who are shaping the story. It's their pepeha, their whenua, their voice.' Fly My Pepeha premieres this Sunday, 21 July on the Māori+ app, and will screen weekly on Whakaata Māori every Monday at 7.50am.
