Tagata Pasifika celebrated 20 years on air on 7 April 2007! The anniversary was marked by a one hour special commemorating 20 years of islanders on TV looking back, checking out the personalities, places and highlights featured over two decades.
Tagata Pasifika has become a well-loved institution in New Zealand where week after week it reflects life and times of those who have made Aotearoa their home. Since Tagata Pasifika has been distributed via the Pacific Service to broadcasters throughout the Pacific region, the programme has become a regular point of contact for islanders to see what living in New Zealand means for family and friends who have settled there.
Tagata Pasifika took over from the daily 5 minute See Here on the 7 April 1987 on TV2 with the first episode presented by Susana Hukui, Maligi Evile and Iulia Leilua .
The show has evolved over the years to reflect the changing demographic of NZ Pacific society , with the programme showing items of interest involving many personalities and covering a wide range of subjects, shot both in New Zealand and on location in the islands.
And the continuity ensuring topicality and quality for all 20 years has been the show's producer, Taualeo'o Stephen Stehlin , who has led the team there since the early 1990s.
"We are fortunate to have such a long running programme which has become a New Zealand institution owned by the Pacific communities," says Taualeo'o who observes that the biggest change he has seen over the years has been the politicisation of Pasifika peoples in Aotearoa and the participation of Pacific people in defining a Kiwi South Pacific identity.
The one hour special highlight shows how far Pacific people have come in 20 years and brings back people from the past like the show's first presenter, Foufou Susana Hukui as well as some of the movers and shakers in the Pacific over the last two decades. - Television New Zealand
20 Year Special: Pt.I - The Way We Were
20 Year Special: Pt.II - Politics
20 Year Special: Pt.III - Performing Arts
20 Year Special: Pt.IV - Sport
Pacific Media Centre
