Pitopito Kōrero

Because we are on TV, people think Kaiora and I represent our people. We are supposed to be typical. We are not. But we are ordinary … we can only live our own lives the best way we can, in line with what we have been taught and what we want for our whānau.

We are not statistics to be used to prove a point.

I get whakamā at the portrayal of Māori in the media. I always get upset to see us shown in a bad light. It makes me so sad. When we had the very first episode of our show, so many Pākehā came up to me and said: ‘It’s good to see Māori doing well. Good to see Māori in a positive light.’

‘Thank you so much,’ I said, but I was angry because I knew what they meant, that it was unusual to see Māori in a positive light. And they were right. It was unusual for them. But not for us — we have always seen Māori in a positive light.

— FRANCIS TIPENE, FROM TIKANGA