HIGHLIGHTS May 2 – May 8 2010

MAARA KAI (FOOD) – Sunday May 2 at 6.30 PM
Series premiere! There was a time when it was commonplace for New Zealand families to grow their own produce and eat from their gardens. In these tightening economic times, this new series looks at ways to become less dependent on supermarkets by growing and making your own produce, and restoring the connection between the garden and the plate. 

KAITANGATA TWITCH (DRAMA) – Sunday May 2 at 7.00 PM
Series premiere! A thrilling family drama from Margaret Mahy with action, myth and magic combining to tell the story of Meredith Gallagher, her family, the place she lives and the astonishing events that shake them all. Featuring a terrific New Zealand cast that includes George Henare, Miriama Smith, Charles Mesure and newcomer Te Waimarie Kessell. Platinum Award winner at the 2010 WorldFest in Houston, Texas.

I KNOW A SHEILA LIKE THAT (REALITY) – Sunday May 2 at 8.00 PM
Series premiere! Meet six remarkable Maori women working hard to carve out their own niches, in jobs not considered the norm. They are a diverse and dynamic bunch – some working to revive traditional Maori art forms while others operate at the cutting edge (literally) of newer professions. Tonight: Erin MacDonald is no stranger to the grim side of life.

MANDERLAY (SUNDAY FEATURE) – Sunday May 2 at 8.30 PM
It is 1933 in Alabama. Manderlay is a plantation where a group of people are living as if slavery had not been abolished 70 years earlier. Stars Chloe Sevigney, Lauren Bacall and Danny Glover.

HAA (YOUTH) – Monday May 3 at 5.30 PM
Series premiere! The rangatahi team is back with a high-energy info-tainment magazine programme for young teenagers. Presenter Amanda Ashton is joined by new faces Nawaia Watene and Junior Paparoa. First up, they journey across the ditch to check out what rangatahi in Australia are up to.

KAPA HAKA PRIMARY SCHOOL NATIONALS (PERFORMING ARTS) – Weekdays at 6.30 PM
Primary schools from around the country compete at the 2009 national festival. Features Te Kura o Awapuni (Monday May 2); Te Kura Takawaenga o Rotorua – Rotorua Intermediate (Tuesday May 3); Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Rawhitiroa (Wednesday May 4); Kapa Haka o Noera – Nawton Primary (Thursday May 5); and Te Pihinga a Hauiti – Tolaga Bay Area School (Friday May 6).

FIRST AUSTRALIANS (INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY) – Tuesday May 4 at 8.30 PM
Tonight: The stories of the Stolen Generation are examined. Gladys Gilligan is one of more than 50,000 half-caste children plucked from her family and sent to a mission. The Chief Protector of Aborigines, A.O. Neville, institutionalises her first son, orders Gladys’ arrest and she is denied permission to marry three times – but she remains resolutely independent.

THE CIRCUIT (DRAMA) – Tuesday May 4 at 9.30 PM
Follows a magistrate and an entourage of court officers and lawyers on a regular five-day 2000-kilometre round-trip to dispense justice to the remote communities of north Western Australia. Tonight: It’s the beginning of a long weekend with time to relax, unwind and in some cases, party! But family tension and alcohol are not always a happy mix.

PUKANA KA PAO (YOUTH) – Wednesday May 5 at 6.00 PM
Series premiere! The newest addition to the rangatahi crew – Raku – finally gets to host his own show. It’s a compilation of original waiata called ‘pao’, composed by PUKANA presenters over the past 11 years. 

AUTAIA (CAREERS) – Thursday May 6 at 6.00 PM
Series premiere! What’s your dream job? Join Tupoutama Paki as he explores different career options and gets advice on how to get there. Tonight: Ta moko artist Richard Francis went from being on the dole to business owner.

BENEATH THE MAORI MOON (NZ DOCUMENTARY) – Thursday May 6 at 8.00 PM 
Series premiere! As Maori rugby gets set to celebrate its centenary, this landmark documentary series will trace the evolution of Maori rugby and examine its place in New Zealand society.  Profiles important players and colourful characters as well as examining the times in which they lived. Tonight: The early Maori pioneers of the game – Tom Ellison, Ned Parata and Joe Warbrick.

TAO (COOKING) – Friday May 7 at 6.00 PM
Series premiere! Hosted by Manawa Wright, this rangatahi cooking show visits a different household each week to find healthy and cost effective meal options to suit the families’ lifestyle. A variety of meals will be on the menu week to week – from breakfast to desserts, picnics to special occasions – with the added bonus of tips from Tipi to keep the viewer informed and entertained.

HIP HOP CENTRAL (YOUTH) – Saturday May 8 at 8.00 PM
Series premiere! Pieter T and Skye Stirling trace the evolution of hip hop from its arrival in Aotearoa in the mid-1980s through to today – how have Maori rangatahi embraced hip hop? What does the New Zealand variant look, feel and sound like? Meet dance crews, graff artists, DJs, beat boxers and freestylers from around the country.

Ends

For images and media information, register with the Maori Television media centre at http://media.maoritelevision.com or contact Communications Manager, Vanessa Horan, on +64 9 539 7159, mobile +64 21 928 007 or email vanessa.horan@maoritelevision.com.