A YEARNING FOR LEARNING …

The whole world is a classroom in Māori Television’s new weekday educational series for tamariki, MĪHARO – premiering today, Monday February 11 2008 at 5.00 PM.

MĪHARO means wonder, surprise, amazement and awe. The pacy, colourful and jam-packed show is designed to educate Māori-speaking children aged five to eight-years with content specifically aligned with school curriculum areas.

The programme is made by Auckland-based Tūmanako Productions and producer Kay Ellmers has worked closely with experienced primary school teachers to ensure that the series reflects kura-based learning.

New themes are presented each week and include wai (water); ngahere (forest); ahi (fire); marae; te ao mārama (world of light); hau (air); tangaroa (sea); kai (food); kākahu (clothing) and tinana (human body).

Over the week, the theme is explored in six curriculum areas: pūtaiao (science); tikanga-ā-iwi (social studies); pangarau (maths); hauora (health); mahi toi (arts) and hangarau (technology).

While the series was designed for children in Māori medium education, MĪHARO will also be enjoyed by tamariki and whānau with lower levels of reo Māori who wish to build their language skills.

Presenters Kereti Rautangata and Pirimia Burger (pictured) combine their love for learning with just the right amount of cheeky fun.

Kereti (Waikato, Tūhoe) is a familiar face to children’s television after hosting Māori Television’s Tikitiki and Koi while Pirimia (Ngāi Tahu, Rangitāne) has also appeared on screen with a children’s cooking segment.

Kereti and Pirimia ensure MĪHARO stays in touch with its audience by joining children at different kura each week. The tamariki work with the presenters to introduce interactive games and short items about their schools.

coming up ON MĀORI TELEVISION:

TĀTAI HONO – Monday February 11 at 8.00 PM

Māori cut off from their origins go on a voyage of self-discovery. Tonight: Sam Kahui makes an emotional journey back to his marae near Otorohanga. Theona Ireton packs for her road trip to Wanganui.

NATIVE AFFAIRS: SUMMER SERIES – Monday February 11 at 8.30 PM

Tonight: Has the end of apartheid in South Africa met the expectations of the black community; a leading Zimbabwe political figure brutally beaten by Zimbabwean police lives to tell the story; the ongoing debate over the health risks of 1080 poison; and the global use of Māori culture in branding.

NO MAN’S LAND – Tuesday February 12 at 8.30 PM

International Documentary, Pakipūmeka ō te Ao: Hijras or transgender people are considered social outcasts within South Asian society, existing in a strange no-man’s land. (Indian with English language subtitles)

TAKU WAHINE PŪROTU – Wednesday February 13 at 8.00 PM

Series finale: Wairaka was the saviour of the Mataatua waka and her people. Today she is commemorated as an ancestral meeting house and a town is named after her actions – Whakatāne. (Māori language with English language subtitles)

NO ORDINARY JOE – Wednesday Feb 13 at 8:30 PM

NZ Documentary, Pakipūmeka Aotearoa: Hohepa Delamere – or Papa Joe – practiced forms of traditional Māori healing and used the methods that Māori healers have been using for generations: mirimiri (massage), rongoa (herbal treatments) and karakia (spiritual prayer).

BASSLINE – Friday February 15 at 8.30 PM

New Zealand ’s modern-day musical movement is captured in action on stage. Tonight: Originally formed in Christchurch in 1997, Solaa has played alongside acts like Trinity Roots, Salmonella Dub, Shapeshifter and FFD, gathering an expansive fan base along the way.

TE HAUKAINGA – Sunday February 17 at 5.00 PM

Series finale about the people who live within their tribal lands in the eastern Bay of Plenty. Tonight: Directly behind the pulp and paper mill in Kawerau are two distinct hills from where the stars were studied awaiting the best time to plant kumara. (Māori language with English language subtitles)

WALKING ON WATER – Sunday February 17 at 9.00 PM

Sunday Feature, Kiriata Rātapu: Charlie and Anna make a pact to relieve the suffering of their terminally ill friend Gavin. Their decision and the repercussions are the catalyst of this candid yet compassionate portrayal of how grief can bring out the worst and the best in family and friends.

Getting to Air

Our daily schedule is:

Viewers can tune in to Māori Television in six ways:

1. Via Freeview

Crystal clear, digital quality television with no monthly fees and no contracts. Visit www.freeviewnz.tv, call 0800-Freeview, or ask a sales person at a Freeview accredited appliance retailer.

2. Via the UHF frequency

To receive Māori Television via the UHF frequency, you need to have a UHF aerial and be within the coverage range. You can check our coverage maps to find out if you are within the coverage area: www.maoritelevision.com/coverage. If you need to purchase an aerial, call your local television aerial installation retailer. You will find these services listed in the Yellow Pages.

3. Via satellite

If you are not within our coverage area, you can access Māori Television via satellite by purchasing a satellite dish and receiver from your local television aerial installation service.

4. As a Sky Digital subscriber

If you are a Sky Digital subscriber, you will find Māori Television on channel 19 of your Sky remote.

5. As a Sky UHF subscriber

If you are a Sky UHF subscriber, you will find Māori Television on button 6 of your Sky remote.

6. Via Saturn TV

If you receive Saturn TV, you can tune in to Māori Television through channel button 33. Saturn customers – please leave your decoders switched on to be able to receive this channel.

If you are still unsure or need any assistance, call the channel’s tune-in helpline on 0800 MA TATOU (0800 62 82 868).

For More Information

Check our website www.maoritelevision.com/coverage or for guidance on how to tune-in call 0800 MA TATOU ( 0800 62 82868 )