Rnz: Te Ahi Kaa

Some say Collision's ‘You Can Dance’ is the best track on the new '70s funk and disco compilation album Heed the Call.  Hirra Morgan – a former member of the Tokoroa funk band – talks with Justine Murray about his life in music.

Dennis Marsh is New Zealand's best selling country music artist. He's travelled the world for 30 years sharing his music and stories and this year released his 29th album. Te Ahi Kaa visits Dennis at his home in Pukekohe.

Huia Hamon is a singer, artist and mother who runs Kog studios with her partner. The couples home is tucked away in Waitakere and on most days is a hive of music and creativity. Te Ahi Kaa pays a visit.

Te Ahi Kaa is at the last training session with a Rotorua basketball team who are set to compete at the Special Olympics in Wellington this month. 

At the Battle of Gate Pa, 200 Māori faced 1,700 colonial troops and their artillery. Author Buddy Mikaere discusses the events leading up to and following the battle.

The history of Māori people of Whanganui is complex and during the New Zealand Land Wars included both collaboration and resistance, says Che Wilson, former Pou Arahi (CEO) of Ngāti Rangi Trust.

Kelvin Day talks about early commemorations of the Taranaki Wars.

Sir Wira Gardiner provides insights in the Battle of Passchendaele, the Battle of Stalingrad, Māori involvement in World War I and World War II and the New Zealand Land Wars.  

Tawhirimatea Williams has teaching for over 50 years. Today he's the head of a private training institute in Auckland, churning out competent Māori speakers.

Te Ahi Kaa visits Taneatua in the Tuhoe Valley to get a sense of how the locals have moved since the Tuhoe Raids a decade ago.

In his 20s, Dr Joe Te Rito took the Māori language petition to parliament as a member of the Te Reo Māori Society. These days, he is still a Māori education leader and Chair of Radio Kahungunu.

Kapa haka tutor and composer Kingi Kiriona believes in the law of attraction – if you put out passion for the Māori language, it will come back to you.

Artist Linda Munn is well-known as one of the creators of the Tino Rangatiratanga flag, but these days she is pretty content teaching art in Tauranga. Te Ahi Kaa catches up with her for a kōrero at the Toi Oho Mai Institute of Technology.

Candidates for the Māori seat of Tāmaki Makaurau debate the issues of this election. The speakers are Peeni Henare, the sitting MP from the Labour Party, Shane Taurima from the Māori Party and Marama Davidson from the Greens. Chaired by Julian Wilcox, the debate was produced by Te Whakaruruhau o Ngā Reo Irirangi Māori, with the support of Te Māngai Paho.

Candidates for the Māori seat of Hauraki-Waikato debate Kingitanga, te reo Māori, broadcasting, the Te Ture Whenua bill, water, climate change, poverty, and housing.

Candidates for the Māori seat of Te Tai Tonga debate the response to the earthquakes, who owns the water, the shape of education, and other social issues.

Candidates for the Māori seat of Waiariki discuss regional development, water ownership, Treaty Settlements and the support the Māori Party has given to a National government. 

Candidates for the Maori seat of Te Ikaroa-Rawhiti debate welfare, health funding, the Ture Whenua bill, Treaty Settlements and boot camps during the run-up to the General Election.

Candidates for the Māori seat of Te Tai Hauāuru debate water rights, seabed mining, homelessness, economic policies, welfare and Treaty settlements.

In this Te Wero debate, candidates for the Māori seat of Te Tai Tokerau discuss housing, Treaty Settlements and suicide in the lead-up to September's general election.