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Te Reo Irirangi o Te Upoko o te Ika
is celebrating its 25th year in radio broadcasting in Wellington.
Then we'll cross live to Auckland where our elder is waiting.
Wellington's Te Upoko o Te Ika,
the oldest Maori radio station in the country,
first broadcasted on May 4, 1987.
We sought an old building in town,
built a studio, and connected the phone lines.
We were even lucky enough to have a toilet too.
We then let the iwi know
- this was Te Upoko o te Ika for the month of May and June that year.
Their vision was to provide a station
for Maori language and culture.
It was a difficult idea for some to comprehend.
The goal at the time was to take this foreign tool
and use it to revitalise the Maori language.
Throughout the years, many of our elders have passed on,
but their voices, we have captured on tape.
That's the main thing;
that although they are lost to us, their voices can still be heard.
As the station expanded, so did their imaginations.
During the early mornings, Pakeha radio stations had a segment
called Buzz-o-Bumble that entertained the children.
That gave me the idea to create a show for Maori children.
Te Upoko, like other iwi stations
is still doing their part to revitalise the language.
For me, those who are taking charge need to be experts.
The announcers and broadcasters of the radio station
need to be well practised too.
They all need to know the correct use of the language.
The station will celebrate their special day tomorrow.
Peata Melbourne, Te Karere