Navigation for Te Ahi Kaa

“Whakapupuutia mai ōu mānuka kia kore ai e whati.”
Cluster the branches of the mānuka so they will not break.
This week’s whakatāuki is explained by Peata Melbourne (nō Tuhoe).

In Te Ahi Kaa this week we’ll hear from Professor Michael Walker. This teacher of science at the University of Auckland was the recipient of both the Prime Minister’s supreme award and the sustained excellence within a Māori kaupapa award for his contribution to education at a tertiary level. At the university, he established the Tuakana programme, a mentoring system for Māori and Pacific Island students studying science. Michael admits that he didn’t set out to become a teacher like his parents Deirdre and Professor Ranginui Walker, but over the years his various research projects eventually lead to the classroom.

As an all-round entertainer Kingi Biddle is comfortable in the fields of radio, television and in the more specialised role of Master of Ceremonies. Having won both the local and regional Toastmasters competition in Rotorua, he qualified to compete on the world toastmaster’s stage. So after a few months of fundraising, he heads to Las Vegas next week to compete. He talks over coffee with Justine Murray about his remarkable career.

Kingi Biddle
Kingi Biddle is off to Las Vegas on the 17th August to compete at the International Toastmasters competition.

Some of today’s upcoming and established Māori musicians will be part of a new project which will see them give their own twist to some of Hirini Melbourne's songs. Overseen by his niece Peata Melbourne the album project He Rangi Paihuarere has been three years in the making, and it’s a tribute to her remarkable uncle: a researcher, composer, and expert in taonga puoro, traditional Māori instruments.

Waiata featured: 

Whiti te Marama; Purerehua; Purea Nei performed by Hirini Melbourne from the album He waiata ma te katoa (2004). Viva Las Vegas performed by Elvis Presley from the album Viva Las Vegas (2008).