NZ On Air 30th Birthday - Tagata Pasifika

Web (Full Length) – 2019

At a time when Pasifika people were rarely seen on-screen, Tagata Pasifika was a bastion of Pacific stories. For Oscar Kightley, it was "more than just a TV programme" — it meant on-screen representation for his Pasifika community. In this video celebrating NZ On Air's 30th birthday, Kightley also recalls how impressed his mum was with presenter Susana Hukui's "impeccable" dress sense. Veteran Tagata Pasifika producer Stephen Stehlin talks about working on one of Aotearoa's longest-running series, and the importance of presenting stories about our all-important "front yard".

You see the legacy of Tagata Pasifika in every 'brown' show that's come out since ... I think Tagata Pasifika was the spark.
– Oscar Kightley on the importance of Tagata Pasifika in New Zealand