Rotorua journalist Roihana Nuri says being part of a new Whakaata Māori documentary helped him heal—and showed him his weight loss struggles weren’t his fault.
Pukunati: Lose Weight or Die follows Nuri and Gisborne teacher Faren Ormond as they travel to India for life-saving weight-loss surgery after facing medical inequity at home.
Nuri, who once weighed 200 kilos, says through the series he learned his struggles weren’t his fault.
“It took me to go to India for a doctor in India to tell me that it wasn’t my fault, and that something had happened along the way and that no longer was working,” says Nuri.
Driven by his mokopuna, Nuri says the journey helped him understand the deeper causes of his health challenges.
Pukunati premieres September 1st on Whakaata Māori, with episodes streaming on MĀORI+.
