Today marked a celebration of the 25 years since the first broadcast of Radio Te Hiku o te Ika in Kaitaia.
Hone Harawira says, “Some of our gear was questionable in those times and we lacked experience in the industry but it has blossomed. Today you see people like Tumamao Harawira and Heeni Brown and Harata Brown and Ms Kihi Ririnui strutting their stuff and they all began their careers at the station.”
Today the organisation has grown to include an English language station Sun FM, youth radio Tai FM and Country FM as well as television production and live online broadcast.
“To see and hear the conversations and the laughs and remember those passed on like Puni Makene and Uncle Manawa Aperahama in the knowledge that this treasure has evolved,” said Harawira.
The station continues to achieve its goal of maintaining the clear and sweet local dialect.