Join Whakaata Māori for national Anzac Day 2024 commemorations, live and exclusive from C Company Māori Battalion Memorial House in Gisborne and for the Dawn Service at Tāmaki Paenga Hira.

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The words of Sir Apirana Ngata from his 1943 treatise on Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu VC, ‘The Price of Citizenship,’ provide the theme of this year’s broadcast: ‘We are of one house, and if our Pākehā brothers fall, we fall with them.’

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The full day of Anzac programming, the 19th year of Whakaata Māori coverage, will include live crosses to the Auckland War Memorial Museum Dawn Service, and Gallipoli commemorations in Turkey.

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Veteran broadcaster Julian Wilcox (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Arawa) will be joined in Gisborne by military historian Dr Monty Soutar (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Porou). Peata Melbourne (Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu) from Whakaata Māori flagship news programme, Te Ao Mārama will be our host at the Dawn Service in Auckland.

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The special Anzac broadcast will include several features and expert commentary.

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Features include a tour through C Company Māori Battalion Memorial House.

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We take a closer look at Sir Apirana Ngata, regarded as the ‘father of the Māori Battalion’, and the background to his seminal work, ‘The Price of Citizenship’.

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We visit St Mary’s Memorial Church in Tikitiki, which this year celebrates 100 years since the laying of its foundation stone.

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We meet Toti Tuhaka (Ngāti Porou) who served with the NZ Navy in Korea.

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We hear about the exploits of Lt Tibble of Tikitiki (Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau-a-Apanui) who won the Military Cross for bravery in Italy.  A married man with several children, there were rules preventing men with more than two children enlisting. He quoted his warrior ancestors in a letter to Sir Apirana Ngata and was allowed to sign up.

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We also meet legendary kapa haka group, Te Hokowhitu-a-Tū in Tokomaru Bay to listen to waiata associated with the 28 Māori Battalion, and hear the stories behind them.

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Our official Anzac broadcast concludes at 8.00 AM to be followed by feature documentaries, films and other dedicated programming.

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ANZAC DAY SCHEDULE:

5.40 AM - ANZAC 2024: Kia Kotahi Rā! For the 19th year, Whakaata Māori presents live coverage of Anzac Day services. This year from the dawn service at the Auckland War Memorial Museum, as well as the service from Gisborne.

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8.00 AM - DOCUMENTARY: VAPNIERKA – Vapnierka is a town in Ukraine. It is also where Pouramua Nihoniho, the only son of Ngāti Porou leader Pakanui Nihoniho, died. Vapnierka is the story of how a family came to terms with the loss of a beloved son by passing on that legacy to a child from the next generation.

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9.00 AM - DOCUMENTARY: WHĪTIKI! – The stories of three Māori Pioneers who fought in WWI, through the eyes of their descendants.

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10.00 AM - DOCUMENTARY: THE COWBOYS – C COMPANY (MĀORI BATTALION) – We follow the 2014 Te Moananui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu VC hīkoi to the Middle East and tell the big stories of the Company’s exploits in WW2.

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11.00 AM - DOCUMENTARY: TE RONGO TOA ANZAC SPECIAL – Anzac Day music special showcasing songs of war presented by Francis Tipene of The Casketeers’ fame.

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12.00 PM FEATURE DOCUMENTARY: REVEALING GALLIPOLI – An award-winning, in-depth look at what happened on Australia's most revered place of battle. Revealing Gallipoli tells the stories of hardship and survival from several different perspectives.

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1.35 PM - DOCUMENTARY: PARADISE SOLDIERS – This documentary reveals the sacrifice, shares the personal stories and celebrates the contribution of the Cook Island soldiers to the New Zealand armed forces from WW1 through Vietnam and to present day.

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2.25 PM - LIVE: ANZAC DAY SERVICE FROM GALLIPOLI

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3.25 PM - DOCUMENTARY: TĀONGA: TREASURES OF OUR PAST – Retells precious Māori stories of romance, betrayal, politics and war. TIL DEATH DO US PART: Oha and Albie Bennett's incredible tale of two coins, a soldier's passion and one woman's faith that would never die.

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3.55 PM - DOCUMENTARY: TĀONGA: TREASURES OF OUR PAST - Retells precious Māori stories of romance, betrayal, politics and war. ARAPETA AWATERE - A SOLDIER’S STORY: Arapeta Awatere was a distinguished Māori leader - so why did he spend his last years in Mt Eden Prison, convicted of murder? 

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4.25 PM - FILM: BREAKER MORANT – Three Australian lieutenants are court-martialled for executing prisoners as a way of deflecting attention from war crimes committed by their superior officers.

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6.15 PM - SHORT FILM: KORO’S MEDALS – When Billy loses his grandfather's precious war medal, getting it back is the least of his worries.

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6.30 PM - NEWS: TE AO MĀRAMA – Whakaata Māori flagship news bulletin presented by Peata Melbourne. (Māori with English subtitles)

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7.00 PM - DOCUMENTARY: TE KAIWHAKAAHUA PAKANGA, SHOOTER OF WAR – The heroic and tragic stories behind Major Walter Downs Piiti Wordley’s secret WW2 photos and diary of Māori Battalion life in WW2.

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8.00 PM - DOCUMENTARY: STEPHEN FRY: WILLEM AND FRIEDA – DEFYING THE NAZIS – Stephen Fry investigates the inspiring and moving story of a gay man and a lesbian who led anti-Nazi resistance in Holland.

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9.25 PM - FEATURE FILM: BALLOON – East Germany, 1979. After initially failing to flee from the East to the West in a self-built hot-air balloon, two families struggle to make a second attempt, while the East German State Police are chasing them.

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11.35 PM - NEWS: TE AO MĀRAMA – Whakaata Māori flagship news programme presented by Peata Melbourne.

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12.05 AM WHAKAMUTUNGA: CLOSEDOWN

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