Radio bridge between races loses its linchpin

By RENEE KIRIONA

One of New Zealand's only radio programmes known for bridging the gaps between Maori and Pakeha will run its last show tomorrow.

Whenua, produced by Radio New Zealand, made its last cut when crew and supporters gathered in RNZ's Auckland studio yesterday.

The one-hour, magazine-style current affairs show has run for eight years but came to an end because of the retirement of one of its presenters, veteran Maori broadcaster Henare Te Ua, 71.

RNZ Maori programming manager Paul Bushnell said the show helped put New Zealanders "in touch with each other".

"A lot of our listeners, both Pakeha and Maori, are really upset that Whenua will be going off air," he said.

Mr Bushnell described Te Ua (Ngati Porou) as having "phenomenal experience" in the industry, spanning more than 40 years.

"Henare brings amazing mana to his job because he has the ability to move between worlds and bring those two worlds together to interact in a positive way.

"He is the last of his generation of broadcasters and if you were to ask me who is the best Maori broadcaster, or broadcaster in general for that matter, I would say he is."

For Te Ua, the show was a major highlight of his career.

"I've become accustomed to explaining Maori culture to a non-Maori audience and communicating across the cultures," he said. "My attitude has always been, if you want to come along on a cultural journey with me then I will guide you."

Te Ua is also known for his contribution to the Maori community. As a tribal elder he accompanied Te Maori exhibition in the late 1980s.

But this will not be the last listeners hear of Te Ua, who plans to do some part-time radio work.

The show's other presenter, Libby Hakaraia, plans to produce and direct television documentaries with award-winning documentary-maker Rhonda Kite.

Over the years, most well-known politicians, celebrities, artists, activists and "almost anyone who was anyone" had appeared on the programme, Hakaraia said.

"I think what people liked about Whenua was that it didn't go down the usual track.

"There were a lot of times when instead of asking the hard questions we would ask them about their whanau, what they liked to eat and their upbringing," she said.

Whenua would be replaced by three programmes, totalling 114 minutes, running consecutively each Sunday starting at 5pm.

Those shows would look at Maori music, current affairs and Maori history based on RNZ archival material which would be compiled by Mr Te Ua.

The last show of Whenua, a two-hour special, will be broadcast at 5pm on National Radio tomorrow.