We've just had two weekends in a row of kapa haka within the Waiariki rohe, and I think it's fair to say that we will definitely be a force to be reckoned with at Te Matatini next year. I am really looking forward to Rotorua hosting thishuge event come February 2013.
One of the whaikorero that resonated with me was that of a relatively new ropu, Kataore, whose kaikorero raised the issue of the negative portrayal of Maori in the media. He talked about the media coverage of the Countdown assault, the alleyway assault in town, and the general lack of reporting of positive stories as far as Maori go.
Day after day, it can be quite disheartening to see such stories in the media, meanwhile, positive events such as Te Ru o Te Manawa and the Te Arawa Pride games get minimal exposure. Take for example these latest regional comps. There was one positive report about them the next day, followed by about three days of negative reports citing disputes, protests and so on. It is more disappointing I suppose when it is Maori media or organisations who do little to highlight the positive Maori initiatives. They tend to dwell on the very few negative issues.
I think back to the Tuhoe raids in 2004, and the coverage they received. The repeated images of rural Maori, branded with the word terrorist - this negative reporting has stigmatised that community forever. I recommend you watch Operation 8, a documentary I assume will have you consider the news regarding the raids in a new light.
So what can our media organisations do to improve their reporting on Maori issues? Having the Te Maori section in The Daily Post is a good start, that's one day a week where you will read about Maori initiatives and celebrations, but what about the day to day reporting?
I encourage all media to consider how their reporting may impact on whanau hapu and iwi.
