Rnz: Te Ahi Kaa

Ōtakou Marae overlooks the Otago Peninsula and sits on a site steeped in history - it was where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed on 13 June, 1840.

Te Ahi Kaa visits marae in Blenheim and Christchurch.

Glynn Rogers and Lauralee Duff take Te Ahi Kaa on a tour of Onetahua Marae in the small community of Pohara, Golden Bay.

Te Ahi Kaa celebrates Te Matatini 2017 with an insight into kapahaka.

The national kapahaka festival Te Matatini begins on 23 February. In the lead-up, Te Ahi Kaa discusses mōteatea (chants) with Dr Wayne Ngata and waiata-a-ringa (action songs) with the late Matiu Dickson.

Joe Harawira talks about his life in kapahaka and his judging role at Te Matatini.

Te Matatini judge Ngamoni Huata talks about her childhood harvesting raupo to make poi, her no-nonsense mottos and what she looks for in a performance.

When he first entered carving school in the mid '60s, Clive Fugill's Māori identity was questioned. Today he is a revered carver with 50 years experience. Clive shares his story with Te Ahi Kaa.

In the last show for 2016, Justine presents a few highlights from stories covered during the year.

The zero-waste scheme Para Kore has become a kaupapa for over 135 marae in the North Island. Te Ahi Kaa visits Kirikiriroa Marae in Hamilton to find out how it works.

Te Ahi Kaa is in Whakatane at Te Tohu o te Ora o Ngati Awa (Ngati Awa Social and Health Services) to find out more about the work they do in their community.

After experiencing his own tragedy, James Rakena Robinson now works in suicide prevention and has founded an online platform for those who need to talk.

Pare O'Brien works runs mobile clinics in Te Teko, Matata and Edgecumbe. Her service to her community earned her the Te Akenehi Hei Award. Te Ahi Kaa spends the morning with Pare at Te Teko Medical Centre.

A new book Takataapui - A Place of Standing explores Māori sexual and cultural identity. Justine Murray finds out more.

A dream will be realised when a Tauranga Moana hapū open their Papakāinga Housing development this year. Justine Murray finds out about the process and the challenges.

Reuben Taipari has lived in a whare uku, a home made of clay and rammed earth for a decade, he says it's an affordable way to live on ancestral land. Ricky Hougton is set to add ten more homes to his affordable housing in the Far North, and Victoria Kingi is working closely with māori in Tauranga to establish Papakainga homes. Te Ahi Kaa this week provides an insight into their work, and highlight of this years National Maori Housing Conference.

It's been 25 years since Hirini Melbourne's famous children's songbook Toiapiapi, was released. To mark the occasion. RNZ's Justine Murray spoke to his family and dug into the archives to find recordings of Hirini himself.

"There’s got to be something special about that person that they can find that space amongst our people” - Te Ururoa Flavell on historian, linguist and master carver Jock McEwen, who died in 2010.

Two young emerging maori artists Cori Marsters and Te Kanawa Ngarotata were the recipients of Creative New Zealand scholarship. Cori graduated from Carving School in 2013 and is studying towards a Degree in Maori Arts and Te Kanawa is balancing whanau life and mentorship under the guidance of taa moko artists, carver and sculptor, Rangi Kipa.

Cori Marsters and Te Kanawa Ngarotata are the recipients of a Creative New Zealand scholarship to assist their work as emerging artists. Cori is studying for his Bachelor in Māori Arts and is researching the history and tikanga of Potae Taua (Traditional Headdress). Te Kanawa is graduate of Toihoukura and has begun an apprenticeship under the guidance of Rangi Kipa. They talk about their work, whanau and people who have been instrumental in their learning.