The true story of New Zealand Troops who served in Vietnam and fell victim to Agent Orange.

Could a remote island chain in Polynesia have been the center of a thriving civilization? New archaeological and geological evidence reveal an ancient world of human sacrifice and epic voyages.

Fiona Pardington's fields of investigation have been psychoanalysis, medicine, voyeurism, memory and the body, the history of the photographic image and the nature of the relationship between the photographer and subject, particularly as it relates to sexual difference, through the ambiguities of a simultaneous solicitation and resistance. She is best known as a specialist in "pure" or analogue photographic darkroom technique, most notably hand printing and toning. Recently her photographs have returned to the formality of the photographic still life, particularly in relationship to taonga (treasured) artifacts found in museums. Mauria mai, tono ano is a series of evocative photographs on ancestral greenstone heitiki photographed from the collection of the Auckland Museum. The foetal-like heitiki carry the whakapapa (geneology) of geographical points in Te Wai Ponnamu (South Island), offering limitless ways of seeing traditional objects through contemporary eyes. A suite of her Heitiki are being gifted to the Musee du Quai Branly in Paris by the New Zealand government. Pardington has received many fellowships, residencies, awards and grants, including the Ngai Tahu residency at Otago polytechnic 2006 , Frances Hodgkins Fellow in both 1996 & 97, Visa Gold Art Award 1997 and The Moet & Chandon Fellow, France, 1991-92. An extensive exhibition history both locally and internationally includes the recent exhibition in Valencia at the Casa Museo Benlliure, ULTRAMarte, Contemporary Art From New Zealand. Selected public shows include Te Hei Tiki Auckland City Gallery 2005, Public/Private The 2nd Auckland Triennial 2004, and the Arts and Industry Urban Biennial, 2004

A prolific and successful playwright, Roger Hall has consistently written for the stage. He has also written scripts for radio and television, and for children. Hall's writing is known for its comedy, political and social purpose, and underlying pathos. His plays have toured widely and have been performed at international venues. His biggest success was with Middle Age Spread that ran for 18 months in London's West End and won the award for Comedy of the Year (1979). Hall has been the recipient of awards and fellowships in recognition of his work. He published an autobiography, Bums on Seats, in 1998. Screened on Artsville, TV One (TVNZ) 2006.

A rare insight into one of New Zealand's best-loved and most colourful literary figures - poet Hone Tuwhare. Also known as 'No Other Lips'.

A documentary about acclaimed New Zealand author Margaret Mahy, examines her life as a writer, the importance of New Zealand settings on her work; and the international success she's enjoyed.

Adventures in Maoriland - The Making of Hei Tiki. Having exploited and offended Maori when in NZ in 1928 to make his film Under the Southern Cross, Hollywood director Alexander Markey returned two years later to make Hei Tiki, spending about four years around Taupo in the process and upsetting everyone all over again. The film, based on a Maori legend, was panned upon its New York release in 1935. This documentary tells the remarkable story of the making of Hei Tiki, and includes clips from the film, footage of the cast and crew at work, and interviews with descendants of the actors.

What has been the recent Maori experience? We pick up the tale from the urbanisation of the 50s onwards, the 'Maori renaissance', the awakening of activism, treaty settlements and corporatisation. Presented, written, and produced by Damian Christie.

The Pacific Ocean supplies over 60 per cent of the world's tuna consumption, but at what cost? The most valuable stocks of Pacific tuna are already in an over-fished state, while the big eye tuna and the blue fin tuna are in danger of extinction. Enter Kiwi eco-warrior Karli Thomas and her crew, as they patrol the Pacific high seas, battling plunder and piracy to save Pacific tuna stocks from destruction. Karli Thomas And The Raiders Of The Last Tuna follows the protesters on a three month voyage to the world's most remote stretches of ocean - the Pacific high seas. It is in these international waters that thousands of legal and illegal vessels are racing to take as much as they can of the dwindling tuna population. Karli and her fellow eco-warriors put their lives on the line to search for outright piracy and unlicensed ships. Along the way, they find increasing signs of the effects of over-fishing and dodgy fishing practices such as shark finning. It's the Wild West for the world's fishing fleets, and the last frontier for tuna.

In June 1886 Mt Tarawera spectacularly erupted, and this documentary tells the story of the people who were caught in the catastrophic events. Around 120 people lost their lives, and the internationally famous Pink and White Terraces were destroyed. The documentary features an animated re-creation of the eruption, archival images, interviews with descendants of those involved, and readings from written eyewitness accounts. The author of the book Tarawera, Ron Keam, is also interviewed.

The true story of one woman's quest to befriend and protect an extroverted wild dolphin, Moko. Filmed in the six months leading up to Moko's death, Soul in the Sea follows a journey of discovery, devastating loss, and resolution. It's a love story with a difference; breaking through the invisible wall between people and animals, celebrating the incredible experience of friendship with a lone wild dolphin, and questioning whether we are truly aware of these souls in the sea. The greatest friendships can come out of the blue. With Kirsty Carrington, Errin Hallen, Grant Duffield, Peter Cavanagh, Dave Peck, Robert Purewa, Howard Hyland, Andy Bassett, Mike Jones, Jamie Quirk, Colin Holmes, TJ Haney, Karen Esterhuizen, Martin Williams, Dr Ingrid Visser, Phil Van Dusschoten Diane Turner, Pouroto Ngaropo, John Heaphy. Amy Taylor: Director, Producer, Cinematographer, Editor, Suzanne Chisholm, Michael Parfit: Executive Producer, James Brown: Online Editor, Dick Reade: Sound mix and design, Matthew Caradus: Composer, Amit Tripuraneni: Colour correction, Colourlab Pictures, Anthony Terry: Graphic design and website

Transporting a big circus around the country is a logistical nightmare. See how much organisation is takes for a circus to cross the Cooks Strait.

After living together happily on a dairy farm for sometime, Lucinda and Rob's relationship begins to lose its spark. Seeking advice from her best friend, Drosophilia, Lucinda begins to start a series of minor conflicts which she hopes will stir up the romance in her relationship. But things don't go the way Lucinda expects and soon she's embroiled in a bigger mess than she began with.

The Sisters of Compassion are the only indigenous religious order in New Zealand. Founded in Jerusalem, a Maori settlement on the banks of the Whanganui River in the eighteenth century, the Sisters of Compassion have been at the forefront of social work in New Zealand. The film documents the often radical social work the Sisters have done over the last century.

Interviews this episode: King Kapisi, Hip Hop artist; Lisa Reihana, multi media artist; Kim Martinengo, furniture designer; Stephen Bradbourne, hot glass artist; Corporate art collection; Peter Siddell, painter; Emily Siddell, sculptor; Sylvia Siddell, painter; Andy Leleisi'uao, painter.

Interviews this episode: Shonagh Koea, writer in New Plymouth - reads an extract from "Time For a Killing" and "The really Good Stuff", short stories; Len Lye 1901 - 1980, Sculptor, Filmmaker, Painter, Writer. 2001 is Len Lye's Centenary Year; Sarah Sampson, artist/photographer/ teacher; Rangi Kipa, sculptor/carver and wife Julie Kipa, contemporary painter; Saint Joseph's Church, New Plymouth; Matt Henry and Stark, conceptual (blow it up) artists; Ross Mitchell-Anyon, potter - Whanganui.

Interviews this episode: Alison Quigan, Artistic Director - Counterpoint Theatre; Robert Janke, Sculptor/Art Teacher; Wellington's water fountain, Cuba Mall; Marianne Muggeridge, Painter; Grant Tilly, Actor/Artist/Box Maker; Cloud Boy - Johannes Contag, Musician / Demarnia Lloyd, Song Writer / Craig Monk, Musician

Interviews this episode: Stephen McCarthy, Hannah Beehre and Aaron Beehre, musicians from band Pine; Heather Straka, artist; Bing Dawe, sculptor; "The Clinic": Anastasia Dailianis, director/performer; Adam Hayward, conceptualist; Haydn Kerr, director/performer; Philip Trusttum, painter.

Interviews this episode: Jim Cooper, artist "New Skin" thesis research; Ann Culy, artist -Lure; Rainer Beneke, artist - Lure; Hone Tuwhare, poet; Deborah Wai-Kapohe, soprano; Sue Mclaughlin and Nigel Brown, artist.

Interviews this episode: Jacqueline Fahey - Painter; Yuk King Tan - Pyrotechnic Sculptor; Lucid 3 - Music; John Reynolds - Painter; Bushell's Sign - Chat Piece; Natalie Robertson - Photographer/video.

In the premiere episode, Dougal Stevenson looks at the 1960s - a decade of tragic disasters, social change as air travel opportunities opened up, sporting gold and Beatlemania! 1960s - The Decade in News: It was a decade of disasters – the Strongman Mine explosion killed 19, 23 died in our worst domestic civil aviation accident in 1963; 29 died when the MV Kaitawa was lost at sea, an earthquake devastated Inangahua, and of course there was the Wahine sinking. In the crime world, George Wilder became an unlikely folk hero with three prison breaks, while we were shocked by the Basset Road machine gun murders. But there were highlights too… the Lawson quins born in ’65, Brian Barratt Boyes performs our first open heart surgery, the six o’clock swill ends and we change to decimal currency.

The Vietnam War, French nuclear testing and the Dawn Raids, Land Marches and oil shocks, the 70s were a tumultuous time. The Crewe murders, Mr Asia and the ongoing mystery of Mona Blades disappearance would mark the decade in crime, while the death of Big Norm would see the election of the most divisive Prime Minister in our history, Robert Muldoon. Britain joins the EEC meaning our role as her larder was in danger, the Cold War saw Bill Sutch charged with spying for the Russians, while Colin Moyle resigned as an MP over homosexual rumours.

Biographer Michael King takes us through the life of pioneering writer Frank Sargeson: from puritanical parents to self-discovery in London, through to decades encouraging an emerging tide of New Zealand writers. The documentary's most priceless moments are the tales told when four of those writers return to Sargeson's fabled fibrolite bach, in Takapuna. Kevin Ireland calls it an "oasis, this marvellous place where books ruled supreme". Sargeson's purposefully minimalistic writing style, the documentary argues, helped NZ literature find its own voice.

This documentary allowed sufferers and their families to tell their personal stories in the daily battle against anorexia nervoa and bulimia nervosa; the signs, the struggles, the guilt, and the long road to recovery. This documentary shows anorexia is not a state of mind that can be turned off and on at will. This illness can, and does, happen to anyone. No galmourising of thinness, no using of skeletal forms; just ordinary New Zealand families caught in the grip of this tenacious, complex and often fatal illness. Dying to Eat explores the complexity of the illness, the importance of early treatment and reinforces the need for community support, understanding, and openness.

1960s - Social Trends: New Zealand started off the 60s as a quiet farming nation with our own holy trinity of rugby, racing and beer . But overseas travel became more possible by air, and we became increasingly influenced by overseas – our first American style shopping mall opened in 1963, wine began being served in restaurants legally (The Gourmet on Shortland St). Maori were increasingly moving to the city from the country, as were a lot of other people, and when the wool prices collapsed in 1967, unemployment grew, pushing more people the city… dissatisfaction with the golden era would grow, we’d see the protest movement start to grow, and James K Baxter forming Jerusalem.

More like the good old days, when poets went on school tours. Does that happen anymore, or is everyone too busy doing tests? Here's a gem from 1979 that follows Sam Hunt, Alistair Campbell, Hone Tuwhare and Jan Kemp on a six -week tour around the country performing in halls and schools.

60s - Big Event – The Wahine: There was no single event that would remain imprinted on our collective consciousness from this decade like the sinking of the Wahine. The loss of life from a single event (53) was unparalleled in New Zealand during the 60s, and the image of the listing ferry off the coast of Wellington is a powerful symbol.

1960s - Sports & Leisure: Peter Snell got the decade off to a good start with a gold at Rome, and topped it off with a double in Tokyo in 1964, while Bob Charles and Denny Hulme both got world attention in their respective pursuits. Our outdoorsy, rural heritage was still front of mind though, and the sixties saw New Zealand establish the Golden Shears competition in 1961, Outward Bound was set up in 1962. We even had our own crack at a vehicle for the great outdoors, the kiwi made Trekka rolled off the production line in 1966.

1960s - Entertainment: Television would open New Zealand to the world, while the world would come to New Zealand. Beatlemania would hit hard with the band themselves making it here in 1964, while our very own mop-haired ravers Ray Colombus and the Invaders penned their answer to Twist & Shout that same year. Kiri te Kanawa gets her big break on the Mobil Song Quest while John Rowles breaks into the UK Top 10. By 1966 we had our own music show, C’Mon, but the Government’s firm control over the Radio Waves would send the pirates out into the Hauraki Gulf to have their music played.

1970s - Entertainment: John Rowles introduced the decade with his best known contribution to our musical landscape, Cheryl Moana Marie, but he was soon eclipsed by the voices of the 70s, the protest singers like Jon Hanlon and Shona Laing, before the emergence of rockers like Hello Sailor, Th’ Dudes and Sharon O’Neill. But TV was the star, going colour in 1973, TV2 arriving in 1975, and childhood classics such as Play School, Spot On, Nice One Stu and Hey Hey It’s Andy – in the evening we sat down to our own fare, Pukemanu, Close to Home, and Fair Go.

1970s - Social Trends: Protests and big social change were the social characteristics of the 70s. Maori were finding their voice and demanding what was theirs through the Land Marches and Bastion Point occupation. We protested racist rugby tours, dams, nuclear warship visits and the Vietnam war, and ended the Dawn Raids against Pacific Island overstayers. At the same time, significant institutions were formed, institutional safety nets like the DPB and ACC, and the Waitangi Tribunal, which would shape the kind of country we were to become.

1970s - Big Event - Erebus: Just as the Wahine had cast a cloud over the end of the 1960s, so the Erebus air disaster would do to the 1970s, with the single greatest loss of life of New Zealanders outside of wartime (one more than the Napier earthquake). But the impact of the loss of life was compounded over the subsequent questions as to who was or wasn’t at fault, the Mahon inquiry, and an apology finally issued by Air New Zealand decades later.

The 80s saw forestry strikes and anti-nuclear protests, as well as the most divisive demonstrations we’ve seen with the Springbok Tour. We were shocked by bombings of the Trades Hall in Wellington and the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland, delighted by a visit from the Pope and the first successful heart transplant.

1970s - Sports & Recreation: Our rowing 8 won gold at Munich in 1972, but in 1974 it was Christchurch’s chance to shine as the host of the Commonwealth Games – the city transformed as everyone ‘Joined Together’. New Zealand had an unusual role at the Montreal Olympics in 1976, sparking 26 African nations to boycott over our rugby ties with South Africa – John Walker had a clear run to a gold medal, and our hockey team won gold too. 1978 was a true milestone for our colonial nation though, our first cricket win against England, at the Basin Reserve. But protest would continue against racist tours in and by South Africa… setting the scene for the Springbok Tour in the 1980s.

80s - Societal Change: The 80s was a decade of massive social upheaval. From the locked-down economy of Rob Muldoon, to the massive transformation of David Lange’s 1984 Government, Rogernomics, Homosexual law reform - and even weekend retail trading. At the same time the stock market was a license to print money, until it all came tumbling down...

80s - Sports & Leisure: While the Springbok Tour didn’t get the 80s off to the best possible start, we had plenty to celebrate later on that decade. The very next year in fact, we were glad to support the non-controversial All Whites as they made their first ever appearance at the Football World Cup. Five years later it was time to rehabilitate rugby in the eyes of the public, as we hosted the first Rugby World Cup - and claimed the trophy as our own.

90s - Entertainment: Often unsure about exactly who we were as a nation, the 1990s saw New Zealand culture at the fore. Shortland Street was “kiwi as” from the outset, and has been a juggernaut of local production ever since. The 90s was also the era of the game shows, from Sale of the Century, to Wheel of Fortune and Blind Date - overseas formats, that we took and made distinctly our own.

90s - Social Trends: The National Government stormed to power in the 1990 and made itself known with a number of policies and the prudent stewardship of finance minister Ruth Richardson. The Mother of All Budgets, the Employment Contracts Act, Student Loans and benefit cuts saw protests on the streets, while discontent was focused on an influx of wealthy Asian immigrants making New Zealand their home.

80s - Big Event - Springbok Tour: The Springbok Tour, and the protests that resulted, didn’t just disrupt a few rugby games, it divided a nation. Pitting family members and workmates against one another, debating that now classic question - is there any place for politics in sport?

90s - The decade in news: The 90s might have started off with the celebration of our sesquicentennial, but there were some dark times approaching: The mass killing at Aramoana and the Bain murders. Cave Creek. Things were literally dark in Auckland as the power went out for weeks on end. Race relations were tense, with attacks on One Tree Hill, the America’s Cup and an occupation at Moutoa Gardens.

Join legendary TV presenters Dougal Stevenson, Jennie Goodwin, Judy Bailey and Tom Bradley in a brand new local series, I Was There showing every weeknight in June. Each episode is presented by one of our iconic Kiwi newsreaders and covers a new decade. From the 60s through to the 90s, as viewers are taken through the biggest moments in New Zealand history over four momentous periods of change. I Was There unearths footage from rare archives, and fresh interviews offer new perspectives on the moments that changed our nation, from national tragedies to sporting triumphs and cultural milestones - all from the people who lived them.