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March 27, 2026
#whakapapa: The rise of iwi Māori radio: a movement born from struggle and revival
Waatea Team
Posted On March 27, 2026
Iwi Māori radio in Aotearoa did not emerge by chance – it was the result of decades of activism, cultural resilience, and a determined fight to save te reo Māori from decline.
By the mid-20th century, te reo Māori was under serious threat. Urbanisation, government policies of assimilation, and the dominance of English meant the language was no longer widely spoken outside Māori communities. By the 1970s, many feared te reo could be lost altogether.
This growing concern sparked a cultural and political movement focused on revitalising the language. Māori leaders, educators and activists began pushing for te reo to be recognised, protected and heard in everyday life – including on radio and television.
A major turning point came in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when Māori groups began advocating for their own broadcasting platforms. Early initiatives included Māori-language programmes within mainstream radio, but there was a strong push for Māori-controlled media that could reflect Māori perspectives and normalise the language.
At the heart of this movement was Ngā Kaiwhakapūmau i te Reo, a group dedicated to protecting and promoting te reo Māori. The organisation played a key role in establishing the first Māori radio initiatives and later took their fight to the Waitangi Tribunal. In 1984, they lodged the landmark WAI11 claim, arguing that the Crown had failed to protect te reo Māori as a taonga under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
This claim would prove pivotal. It recognised te reo Māori as a treasure requiring active protection and laid the groundwork for future investment in Māori broadcasting.
Around the same time, Māori radio began to take shape on the ground. Temporary and part-time stations appeared in the early 1980s, often run by passionate volunteers with limited resources. In 1987, the first permanent Māori radio station, Te Reo Irirangi o Te Upoko o Te Ika, went to air in Wellington – marking a significant milestone in Māori media history.
The momentum continued to build. The Māori cultural renaissance of the 1970s and 80s created the conditions for iwi-based radio stations to emerge across the country, giving communities their own voice and platform.
Through the late 1980s and early 1990s, iwi radio expanded rapidly. More than 20 stations were established between 1989 and 1994, each serving their local iwi while contributing to a wider national network. These stations were often underfunded and relied heavily on community support, but they played a crucial role in language revitalisation and cultural connection.
Government support began to follow these developments. Funding structures were introduced through agencies like New Zealand On Air and later Te Māngai Pāho, which was established to promote te reo Māori and Māori culture through broadcasting.
Over time, iwi radio stations came together under a collective network, Te Whakaruruhau o Ngā Reo Irirangi Māori. This network strengthened collaboration between stations and reinforced their shared mission to revitalise te reo while serving the needs of whānau, hapū and iwi.
Today, iwi radio remains a cornerstone of Māori broadcasting, with stations across the motu delivering news, storytelling, music and cultural content grounded in their communities. The network continues to play a vital role in keeping te reo Māori alive as a living, everyday language.
The story of iwi radio is ultimately one of persistence – a movement driven by the belief that Māori voices, language and identity must not only survive, but thrive on the airwaves of Aotearoa.
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