E KORE AU E NGARO, HE KAKANO AHAU I RUIA MAI I RANGIATEA. E TE IWI E POWHIRITIA ANA KOUTOU KI TE HUI, KO MIHINGARANGI TENEI E KARANGA ATU NEI, E MIHI ATU NEI. NAU MAI, TAHUTI MAI. YOU'RE WATCHING THE HUI, MAORI CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR ALL NZERS. ON THE AGENDA TODAY ` WE NAVIGATE THE DEBATE AROUND LANGUAGE AND IDENTITY. ARE YOU LESS MAORI IF YOU CAN'T SPEAK MAORI? WELL, I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT. IT'S MY WHAKAPAPA THAT DETERMINES WHO I AM. AND WE MEET A SPECIAL MAORI MUM, WHO AFTER 20 YEARS ON THE DPB RAISING HER FIVE TAMARIKI IS NOW BREAKING ALL THE STEREOTYPES AROUND WELFARE DEPENDENCY. IF YOU PUT YOURSELF IN OUR POSITION, WOULD YOU REALLY WANT TO BE LIVING LIKE THIS? WOULD YOU REALLY WANT PEOPLE GOING, 'YOU'RE USELESS, AND YOU'VE GOT SO MANY KIDS.' COPYRIGHT ABLE 2016 KARAHUIHUI MAI. LATER IN THE PROGRAMME WE'LL DISCUSS THE TRAGIC DEATH OF MOKO RANGITOHERIRI AND WHETHER OR NOT WE NEED A LAW CHANGE TO DEAL WITH CHILD ABUSERS. BUT FIRST, DOES THE ABILITY TO SPEAK MAORI MAKE YOU MORE MAORI? IT'S A CONTENTIOUS ISSUE THAT CUTS TO THE HEART OF WHO WE ARE. WHILE THE QUESTION ITSELF MAY SEEM TRIVIAL, WORTHLESS, EVEN, UNDERLYING IT IS A WORTHY CONVERSATION ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF LANGUAGE TO CULTURAL IDENTITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN THAT LANGUAGE IS ENDANGERED. IT ALSO GIVES RISE TO ANOTHER QUESTION ` WHAT PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY DO WE HAVE FOR THE SURVIVAL OF OUR REO, AND ARE OTHER ASPECTS OF OUR CULTURAL REVIVAL JUST AS IMPORTANT? OUR REPORTER RAIHA JOHNS SPOKE WITH FOUR MAORI WHO ALL GREW UP WITHOUT THE REO ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THEIR LANGUAGE JOURNEYS. # TUTIRA MAI NGA IWI. # AUE. # TATOU TATOU E. IT'S THE QUESTION THAT NEVER FAILS TO POLARISE ` ARE YOU LESS MAORI IF YOU CAN'T SPEAK MAORI? WELL, I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT. IT'S MY WHAKAPAPA THAT DETERMINES WHO I AM. NAVIGATING THIS CULTURAL DEBATE CAN BE DIFFICULT AND CONFRONTING, LEAVING MANY NON-SPEAKERS FEELING OFFENDED. IF THEY ARE TO TELL ME THAT I'M NOT REAL MAORI UNLESS I SPEAK THE REO, WELL, THEN I WOULD PROBABLY SAY, 'WELL, YOU TELL ME ABOUT THIS KAUPAPA I DO, THEN. 'YOU AND YOUR TIPUNA WOULD NOT BE HERE IF IT WASN'T FOR OUR WAKA.' (SPEAKS MAORI) REFLECTIVE MUSIC FROM PAKAITORE TO PARLIAMENT, SHE'S BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF EVERY MAORI ISSUE OF THE LAST 20 YEARS. FOR MANY NZERS, DAME TARIANA TURIA IS THE EMBODIMENT OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE MAORI. BUT LIKE NEARLY 80% OF MAORI, DAME TARIANA IS NOT A REO SPEAKER. I THINK IT'S EXTREMELY PAINFUL, IF I'M BEING HONEST. OUR WHOLE HAPU, NOT ONE OF MY GENERATION HAS THE REO, UM, AND WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN EMBARRASSED WHEN PEOPLE HAVE COME TO OUR MARAE. SOMBRE MUSIC WHILE HER INABILITY TO SPEAK MAORI HASN'T STOPPED HER REPRESENTING HER PEOPLE ON A NATIONAL LEVEL, IT'S AT THE GRASS ROOTS WHERE HER SHORTCOMINGS ARE EXPOSED. WHEN I'D GO OUT, UM, TO TRIBAL MEETINGS, FOR MEETINGS WITH OUR PEOPLE ON A WHOLE RANGE OF ISSUES, I ALWAYS FELT, UM, WHAT'S THE WORD, WANTING. REFLECTIVE MUSIC THE LAND WARS, FORCED ASSIMILATION AND THE SUPPRESSION OF TE REO MAORI IN SCHOOLS SAW THE LANGUAGE ALL BUT WIPED OUT. REFLECTIVE MUSIC CONTINUES PARAONE GLOYNE WASN'T RAISED SPEAKING MAORI BUT IS NOW ONE OF OUR MOST REVERED ORATORS. HE SAYS WE MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR REO. GENTLE MUSIC THERE'S NO DISPUTING THE MANA OF THE ANCIENT POLYNESIANS WHO NAVIGATED THE PACIFIC CENTURIES BEFORE PAKEHA ARRIVED, AND TODAY'S NAVIGATORS BELIEVE THIS PART OF OUR CULTURE IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE REO. SOME OF US MAORI HAVE FORGOTTEN THAT WE ORIGINATE FROM THE OCEAN, YOU KNOW. THE PACIFIC OCEAN COVERS A THIRD OF THE EARTH'S SURFACE. WE STEM FROM GREAT NAVIGATORS AND CANOE BUILDERS, AND THAT'S OUR TRUE ORIGINS. (CHANTS) MEN CHANT NICK MARR HAS DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO THE REVIVAL OF WAKA TRADITIONS. HERE IN HIS HOME IN WHAKATANE, HE RAISES HIS CHILDREN IN THE WAKA LIFESTYLE. ALTHOUGH HIS REO COMPREHENSION IS GOOD, HE DOESN'T SPEAK. THE REO, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M STILL ON MY PATH TO GAINING, MORE SO NOW WITH HAVING A YOUNG WHANAU AND MY TAMARIKI ARE IN KOHANGA, AND I WILL GET THERE. BUT THESE KAUPAPA THAT I'M INVOLVED WITH ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT TO ME. THANKS TO THE KOHANGA, KURA AND WANANGA, THE LANGUAGE HAS BECOME MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE. BUT FOR NICK AND OTHERS WHO GREW UP BEFORE THE REO RENAISSANCE, LEARNING AS AN ADULT CAN BE DIFFICULT. MOST OF OUR PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR PEOPLE WENT THROUGH IN THE EARLY COLONISING YEARS AND THE TRAUMA THAT THAT HAD ON MANY OF THEM, AND I WOULD BE ONLY ONE OF MANY WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO OUR PEOPLE BACK IN THE DAY. AND I KNOW THAT OTHERS WOULD SAY, 'WELL, YOU'VE HAD PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN,' BUT, YOU KNOW, I JUST STRUGGLED WITH IT. EVERY TIME I TRIED TO LEARN, IT WAS KIND OF LIKE A MENTAL BLOCK. LIKE TARIANA, FORMER TV PRESENTER DR HINEMOA ELDER WASN'T RAISED WITH TE REO. FOR HER, LEARNING THE LANGUAGE HAS BEEN A LABOUR OF LOVE, AND IT'S ALL THE MORE CHALLENGING WHEN ONLY 3% OF THE POPULATION ARE ABLE TO CONVERSE WITH YOU. THROUGH HER WORK WITH RANGATAHI CAUGHT UP IN THE COURT SYSTEM, DR HINEMOA'S SEEN FIRST HAND THE DIFFERENCE LEARNING TE REO MAORI MAKES FOR OUR KIDS. THE VOYAGE TO REDISCOVER OUR REO WILL NEVER BE PLAIN SAILING. AND AS MORE OF US EMBARK ON OUR LANGUAGE JOURNEY, THE REO WAITS PATIENTLY, AS OUR ISLANDS ONCE DID, TO BE FOUND BY ITS PEOPLE. I'VE BECOME THE CHAIRPERSON OF OUR KOHANGA REO, AND I'M HOPING THAT I CAN SPEND TIME OUT THERE WITH THE TAMARIKI. I THINK THAT'S ABOUT MY LEVEL, AND I THINK IT WILL BE GOOD FOR ME TO BE THERE, GOOD FOR MY SPIRIT. # ...ME TE AROHA. # TATOU TATOU E. # HI AUE HEI! # KA PAI. KIA ORA TATOU. E NOHO. NA RAIHA JOHNS TERA KORERO. AND A SPECIAL MIHI TO OUR OHANA AT OIVI TV IN HAWAII FOR THEIR HELP PRODUCING THAT STORY. MAHALO. NOW, REMEMBER YOU CAN JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON FACEBOOK OR TWITTER USING #THEHUI. KEI TUA O NGA WHAKATAIRANGA KA KORERO TATOU MO TE MAHI TUKINO TAMARIKI. AFTER THE BREAK WE DISCUSS THE TRAGIC CASE OF MOKO RANGITOHERIRI WITH MAORI CRIMINAL LAW EXPERT KHYLEE QUINCE. TAUTI MAI ANO. THIS WEEK SAW ANOTHER NAME ADDED TO THE LIST OF KIDS AOTEAROA HAS FAILED TO PROTECT. MOKO RANGITOHERIRI (3) WAS KICKED, STOMPED, BITTEN AND BEATEN BY THE CARERS HE'D BEEN LEFT WITH WHILE HIS MOTHER WAS AT STARSHIP HOSPITAL WITH HIS ILL SIBLING. HE EVENTUALLY SUCCUMBED TO HIS NUMEROUS INJURIES, SUFFERING A BURST BOWEL, INTERNAL BLEEDING AND SWELLING OF THE BRAIN. TAUPO COUPLE TANIA SHAILER AND DAVID HAEREWA WERE INITIALLY CHARGED WITH MURDER BUT PLEADED GUILTY TO THE LESSER CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER AND ILL-TREATING A CHILD. THE DECISION NOT TO PURSUE A MURDER CONVICTION HAS CAUSED ANGER AND SPARKED CALLS FOR A REVIEW OF OUR HOMICIDE LAWS. TO DISCUSS THIS, I'M JOINED NOW BY AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY CRIMINAL LAW LECTURER KHYLEE QUINCE. TENA KOE. TENA KOE, MIHI. SO, ON THE SUBJECT OF CHILD ABUSE, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MURDER AND MANSLAUGHTER? SO, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MURDER AND MANSLAUGHTER OBVIOUSLY THE OUTCOME IS THE SAME. A HUMAN BEING HAS DIED AT THE HANDS OF ANOTHER HUMAN BEING. SO THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS WHAT WAS IN THE MINDS OF THE PERPETRATORS AT THE TIME. LIKE INTENT? EXACTLY. SO, USUALLY IT'S AN ISSUE OF INTENT OR RECKLESSNESS. THAT'S WHAT CONVERTS THAT ACTIVITY INTO A MURDER. BECAUSE THAT'S SO HARD TO BELIEVE WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS YOUNG MOKO. SURELY THERE WAS ENOUGH INTENT IN THERE? SO, OF COURSE, THE PROBLEM WITH CHILD ABUSE OR DEATH THAT OCCURS AS A RESULT OF FAMILY VIOLENCE IS THAT NO ONE ELSE IS IN THE HOUSE. THE ONLY OTHER PEOPLE THERE ARE USUALLY EITHER OTHER VULNERABLE ADULTS OR VICTIMS OF CHILD ABUSE, SO SIBLINGS, CHILD WITNESSES, FOR EXAMPLE. SO ALL WE CAN TAKE ` UNLESS YOU HAVE A CONFESSION OR DIRECT EVIDENCE FROM THE PARTIES WHO ARE CHARGED ` IS, AS YOU SAY, INFERENCES THAT WE CAN DRAW FROM THE NUMBER AND NATURE OF THE INJURIES. AND THE PROBLEM WITH CHILD ABUSE IS THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT A NUMBER, AS YOU SAID, NUMEROUS INJURIES THAT OCCURRED OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. AND HE JOINS THE LIST WITH JAMES WHAKARURU, HINEWAORIKI MATIAHA. BOTH` THEY WERE ALL MANSLAUGHTER CHARGES, NOT MURDER CHARGES. DO YOU THINK COST HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT? THIS IS A WORRYING CONCERN, AND I KNOW THAT TE URUROA FLAVELL AND OTHERS HAVE COME OUT THIS WEEK TO SAY THAT COST COULD POTENTIALLY BE UNDERLYING THE DECISIONS TO CHANGE, YOU KNOW, PURSUE A MURDER CONVICTION TO A MANSLAUGHTER. BECAUSE IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE` IT IS DEFINITELY MORE EXPENSIVE, SO THERE IS` AND SINCE THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT HAS REALLY REVIEWED` PULLED BACK FUNDING FOR PROSECUTION COSTS, THERE IS A CONCERN. ANECDOTALLY WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF THE CROWN PROSECUTORS, PUBLIC DEFENCE SERVICE ARE UNDER THE GUN IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH MONEY THEY HAVE, WHICH` ARE YOU HEARING THAT? YES, ABSOLUTELY. SO IT PUTS PRESSURE ON THOSE PEOPLE TO` THERE IS A CASE REVIEW MANAGEMENT PROCESS, WHICH REQUIRES THE CROWN AND DEFENCE TO TRY AND NEGOTIATE THE NUMBER AND NATURE OF CHARGES. THAT'S A COST MATTER. SO, LITERALLY CHILD KILLERS COULD BE GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER. I WOULD HATE TO THINK SO, BUT I SUSPECT THAT THAT IS, IF NOT WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE, THEN THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THIS SORT OF FINANCIAL PRESSURE IS PLACING ON, YOU KNOW, THE CROWN PROSECUTION SERVICE, WHO IS THERE TO REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF THE PUBLIC. SO, YES. AND WE HAVE A CHILD DYING AT THE HANDS OF AN ADULT EVERY FIVE WEEKS, SO THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE. IF THIS IS ABOUT COST, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE? WELL, IT ABSOLUTELY SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. UNDER SIMON POWER AS MINISTER OF JUSTICE IN 2011. THE RATIONALE WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT CASES GOT THROUGH QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY. THAT'S FINE WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DRUGS, PROPERTY, MINOR OFFENDING, BUT ANY OFFENDING THAT INVOLVES HARM TO HUMAN BEINGS I THINK WE SHOULD BE REALLY REALLY WARY ABOUT LOOKING AT COST AS AN ISSUE IN THOSE CASES. THERE'S AN INQUEST INTO MOKO'S DEATH. WHAT WOULD YOU EXPECT TO HEAR BACK FROM THAT? OBVIOUSLY, A CRIMINAL CASE ONLY LOOKS AT CERTAIN THINGS. A CRIMINAL CASE CAN ONLY LOOK AT ` ARE THESE THE PEOPLE THAT DID THE THING THAT THEY ARE CHARGED WITH? IT DOESN'T LOOK AT THE BROADER ISSUES. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, MOKO WAS IN THE CARE OF THOSE PARTIES. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RELATIONSHIP WAS. IT DOESN'T SEEM THAT THEY WERE WHANAU. BUT HE WAS ONLY THERE BECAUSE HIS MOTHER WAS UNABLE, PRESUMABLY, TO FIND OTHER CARE. THE BIG SOCIAL ISSUE IS WHY WAS A MOTHER AT STARSHIP ` A SOLO PARENT ` NOT ABLE TO HAVE HER CHILDREN WITH HER? BECAUSE THERE IS ACCOMMODATION AT STARSHIP FOR FAMILIES, SO, YOU KNOW, SHE WAS THERE FOR TWO MONTHS. PRESUMABLY THERE MUST BE SOMETHING AROUND HAVING MORE THAN ONE CARER THERE. IS IT AN ISSUE AROUND SOLO PARENTING? IF IT IS, THAT YOU ARE THE ONLY PERSON THERE WHO IS ABLE TO SUPERVISE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE OTHER CHILDREN ` THE SIBLINGS THAT YOU BRING WITH YOU ` THEN THAT IS A DISCRIMINATORY MATTER, AND IT IS A MATTER THAT PUTS CHILDREN OF MAORI MOTHERS AT HIGHER RISK THAN OTHER CHILDREN IN THE COMMUNITY. 60% OF ALL MAORI KIDS ARE BORN TO SOLO PARENTS. THEY MUST HAVE ACCESS TO THE SAME JUSTICE AND SOCIAL SERVICES THAT ALL OTHER CHILDREN IN THIS COUNTRY DO. YOU BELIEVE IN SOMETHING CALLED FAIR LABELLING. EXPLAIN, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT IS. OK. ONE OF THE CORE PRINCIPLES OF CRIMINAL LAW IS THAT A CONVICTION ` LITERALLY THE LANGUAGE OF A CONVICTION ` SHOULD CLEARLY COMMUNICATE TO THE COMMUNITY ` NOT SPECIALISTS BUT TO ORDINARY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ` WHAT IS IT THAT THAT PERSON HAS DONE. NOW, WE ALL KNOW WHAT 'MURDER' MEANS. MURDER IS OBVIOUSLY A HEINOUS CRIME. IT MEANS YOU'VE KILLED SOMEONE WITH SOME FORM OF INTENT. SO YOU KNEW WHAT YOU WERE DOING. MANSLAUGHTER'S NOT SO` MANSLAUGHTER DOES NOT. MANSLAUGHTER COVERS A MUCH WIDER RANGE OF ACTIVITIES. SO YOU COULD BE, YOU KNOW, DRUNK IN A CAR AND HAVE KILLED SOMEONE ON THE ROAD. IT MEANS YOU'VE DONE SOMETHING UNLAWFUL THAT'S RESULTED IN DEATH BUT YOU HAD NO INTENTION THAT SOMEONE WOULD DIE. SO, YOU KNOW, FALLING OFF THE BACK OF A FARM BIKE, FOR CHILDREN, FOR EXAMPLE. GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF A FAIR LABEL. SO A FAIR LABEL WOULD MEAN THAT WE ONLY CALL SOMEONE A MURDERER THAT WE KNOW KNEW OR KNEW THE RISK OF SO WE DON'T WANT, THEN, TO HAVE PEOPLE HIDE BEHIND, YOU KNOW, A CONVICTION THAT MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND. THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM IN THE UNITED STATES, FOR EXAMPLE. DO YOU WANT A SPECIAL LABEL FOR CHILD KILLERS? I WOULD PREFER THAT OVER` I KNOW THERE IS SOME PUSH TO BRING IN, YOU KNOW, GRADES OF MURDER. SO, DEGREES OF MURDER. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT IN NZ IN THE 1970S` SO, MANSLAUGHTER OF A CHILD. I THINK THAT A PROPER LABEL TELLING US WHO THE VICTIM IS, WHICH WE DO FOR 'MALE ASSAULTS FEMALE', FOR EXAMPLE. THAT CLEARLY TELLS THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU ARE A PARTICULAR SORT OF OFFENDER. ABSOLUTELY. TENA KOE, THANKS FOR COMING IN THIS MORNING. NOW, EARLIER THIS WEEK WE CONDUCTED A TWITTER POLL ASKING OUR VIEWERS IF THEY WOULD SUPPORT A LAW CHANGE THAT CREATES A MURDER CHARGE SPECIFICALLY FOR CHILD ABUSERS THAT KILL. 72% SAID AE. 16% SAID KAO. AND 12% SAID KARE MOHIO, DON'T KNOW. IF YOU SUSPECT ABUSE OR HAVE CONCERNS AROUND THE SAFETY OF A CHILD, YOU CAN CONTACT CYFS ANONYMOUSLY ON... AFTER THE BREAK, WE MEET A SPECIAL MAORI MUM BREAKING ALL THE STEREOTYPES ABOUT WELFARE DEPENDENCY. KIA ORA MAI ANO. AS WE CELEBRATE MOTHER'S DAY, SPARE A THOUGHT FOR ALL THE SOLO MUMS RAISING THEIR BABIES ON THE DPB. WELFARE DEPENDENCY HAS LONG BEEN CRITICISED AS A DISINCENTIVE TO FINDING WORK OR GAINING QUALIFICATIONS, BREEDING FUTURE GENERATIONS OF BENEFICIARIES. ONE NORTHLAND WOMAN SPENT TWO DECADES ON THE DPB RAISING FIVE CHILDREN ON HER OWN AND HOPES THAT HER TRANSFORMATION MIGHT SILENCE HER CRITICS AND INSPIRE OTHERS. RUWANI PERERA HAS HER STORY. TENSE MUSIC IF YOU'VE HAD VIOLENCE WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG, WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP AS A CHILD, OF COURSE IT'S GOING TO TURN UP. WHY WOULDN'T IT? THAT WAS PROBABLY THE HARDEST THING ABOUT BEING A SOLO MOTHER, KNOWING THAT YOUR KIDS DON'T HAVE A CHOICE ABOUT LIVING THE WAY THAT WE LIVED, AND YET THEY JUST LIVED IT WITH ME. THEY JUST LIVED THROUGH IT. MUSIC CONTINUES GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC BELL RINGS, CHILDREN CHATTER 55-YEAR-OLD TEACHER MOANA RANKIN HAS HAD TO MAKE SOME TOUGH CHOICES. MORENA, MOANA. ARE WE LISTENING? HER WHOLE LIFE HAS REVOLVED AROUND KIDS. DOWN ON THE FLOOR. AND WHAT SHE'S LEARNED THROUGH HARDSHIP IS SOMETHING YOU CAN'T TEACH. TELL US ABOUT YOUR POSTER. THIS IS FROM A TRIP. DID YOU DO THAT? BORN AND RAISED IN WHANGAREI, MOANA COULDN'T WAIT TO SPREAD HER WINGS. IT WAS ALL ABOUT, 'YEAH, I'M GETTING OUTTA HERE. I DON'T WANT TO BE IN THIS TOWN.' REFLECTIVE MUSIC AT 22, MOANA SAVED UP ENOUGH MONEY WORKING AS A SECRETARY FOR A TICKET TO LONDON. BUT AFTER JUST EIGHT MONTHS AWAY, HER DAD DIED AND SHE PLANNED A SHORT TRIP HOME TO THE NORTH. IT WAS JUST ABOUT, 'YEAH, COME BACK, SEE HOW MUM IS. RIGHT, I'M ONLY HERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE,' AND THEN SAVE UP, WHICH IS WHAT I DID. I HAD ENOUGH TO GET A TICKET TO GO BACK TO ENGLAND, TO LONDON, THEN REALISED I WAS PREGNANT AND THOUGHT, 'NO, I CAN'T DO THAT,' SO I STAYED. YOUR PLANS TO TRAVEL DISAPPEARED. IT WAS LIKE, YEAH, JUST COMPLETELY TURN MY HEAD. IT'S LIKE THERE'S NOTHING ELSE MORE IMPORTANT. NOW WITH TWO CHILDREN, KOWHAI AND HAKOPA, SHE WAS A NATURAL MOTHER, BUT HER RELATIONSHIP WITH HER FIRST HUSBAND WAS MARRED BY ABUSE. THE KIDS SAW IT ALL. MOANA SAYS SHE SHARES RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE VIOLENCE. DEFINITELY DIDN'T WANT TO BE ARGUING OR FIGHTING WITH MEN BECAUSE USUALLY YOU COME OFF SECOND BEST. YOU DO. A SECOND MARRIAGE BROUGHT THREE MORE KIDS ` SONS MANO, TOI AND MANAAKITIA. AGAIN, THE RELATIONSHIP WAS VOLATILE, AND THINGS TURNED UGLY. MOANA'S CHOICE WAS STAYING IN A LIFE OF VIOLENCE OR LEAVING WITH FIVE KIDS, DEPENDENT ON WELFARE FOR OVER 20 YEARS. SURVIVING ON AROUND $250 A WEEK ON THE DPB, THEY NEVER HAD ENOUGH OF ANYTHING. I'M THANKFUL THAT I WAS ABLE TO BE WITH MY KIDS BECAUSE THERE WAS THE DPB. BUT OUT IN THE REAL WORLD WHERE ITS FOOD AND RENT AND IF YOU'RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE A CAR, UM, THAT DOESN'T FIT WITH THE DPB. THERE'S A REAL` THERE'S A HUGE KIND OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT YOU GET IN THE HAND AND WHAT'S ACTUALLY WHERE YOU` YOU KNOW, THE REAL WORLD. AND THEN YOU KNOW THAT YOU'VE GOT THESE KIDS THAT SOMEHOW BE CLOTHED AND MAKE THEM FEEL OK ABOUT THE FACT, 'YEAH, WE LIVE LIKE THIS. IT'S ALL RIGHT.' THE GUILT OVER WHAT SHE'S PUT HER KIDS THROUGH IS HARD TO LET GO. IF THEY'D HAD A CHOICE, UM, THEY WOULD HAVE` THEY PROBABLY WOULD'VE OPTED FOR AN EASIER LIFE AND SOMEBODY THAT MADE SENSE, RATHER THAN LIKE, 'THERE GOES MUM AGAIN, AND WE'RE GOING WITH HER BECAUSE WE HAVE TO,' YOU KNOW? UM, I JUST LOVE THEM FOR THAT. ALL FIVE OF THEM, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE JUST` THEY'VE JUST HAVE BEEN ON THIS RIDE WITH ME. YEAH. GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC TEA. YEAH. DRINK THAT. THANKS, MUM. WELL, YEAH, WHEN I LOOK BACK ON IT, I'M LIKE, YEAH, IT'S DEFINITELY` YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF THINGS THAT SHE HAD TO DO, UM, TO KEEP US GOING. 17-YEAR-OLD MANAAKITIA IS MOANA'S YOUNGEST, LIVING AT HOME AND IN HIS FINAL YEAR AT KAMO HIGH SCHOOL. I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING THEN, BUT NOW THAT I LOOK BACK ON IT, THAT'S REALLY A LOT OF` A LOT OF STUFF THAT SHE HAD TO DO AND A LOT OF WAYS THAT SHE HAD TO FIGHT FOR US TO STAY HEALTHY AND STAY EDUCATED, I GUESS, JUST NO` JUST STAY OUT OF THE BAD PARTS OF LIFE. NOT ONLY DID SHE KEEP THEM OUT OF TROUBLE AND GANGS, BUT THE FOUR OLDER KIDS HAVE ALL GONE ON TO TERTIARY STUDIES. OLDEST SON HAKOPA REMEMBERS JUST HOW TOUGH IT WAS FOR HIS MUM TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE. YOU HEAR IT LEFT, RIGHT AND CENTRE FROM PEOPLE WHO KNOW NOTHING ABOUT WHAT IT'S LIKE TO GROW UP WITH NEXT TO NOTHING OR DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, THE DPB IS ONLY A COUPLE OF HUNDRED BUCKS A WEEK. YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO... IT'S NOT EASY. OH, I'M JUST SO PROUD OF HER. ALWAYS FOCUSSED ON HER CHILDREN'S EDUCATION, THREE YEARS AGO MOANA DECIDED IT WAS TIME FOR HER TO HEAD BACK TO SCHOOL. SHE GOT A $30,000 A YEAR TEACH NZ SCHOLARSHIP TO STUDY A BACHELOR OF EDUCATION AND GRADUATED THIS YEAR. SHE'S NOW STARTED A MASTERS DEGREE. IT WAS AWESOME JUST SEEING HER ABLE TO GET THAT AND ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, ACHIEVE THE THINGS THAT SHE HAD BEEN WORKING FOR, YOU KNOW, REAPING THE BENEFITS OF HER HARD WORK, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WASN'T HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE TIME OF ME GROWING UP. I'D ALWAYS HOPED SHE'D DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, TO BE HONEST, COS, YOU KNOW, SHE'S A SMART LADY AND SHE ALWAYS WANTED TO HELP UNDERPRIVILEGED KIDS. SO, DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT'S BEEN ASKED OF YOU? COS WE'VE ALREADY DONE IT ON THE BOARD, REMEMBER, AND WE'VE DONE OUR MULTIPLICATION. SHE FITS IN HER STUDIES WHILE WORKING THREE DAYS A WEEK AT TE HORO SCHOOL IN PIPIWAI. I REALLY LOVE WORKING WITH KIDS LIKE THIS, COS THAT'S WHERE I WANT TO GO. I ACTUALLY WANT TO BE WORKING WITH A LOT OF, WELL, AS YOU CAN SEE, A LOT OF THEM ARE MAORI STUDENTS, COS THEY'VE JUST GOT SO MUCH POTENTIAL AND IT JUST NEEDS TO BE WORKED IN THE RIGHT WAY. I NEED HELP. YEAH. WHERE ARE YOU UP TO? D. ELECTRONIC MUSIC NOT CONTENT WITH HOW FAR SHE'S COME, MOANA TOOK ON A NEW CHALLENGE. FOR THE PAST YEAR, SHE'S BEEN DOING CROSSFIT. DUBSTEP MUSIC IT'S MENTAL AND PHYSICAL AND WAIRUA TOO, I SUPPOSE, COS YOU FEEL ENERGETIC WITHIN YOURSELF, YEAH. COS I NEEDED TO DO SOMETHING FOR MYSELF AS WELL BECAUSE ALL THE KIDS HAD LEFT, AND I KNEW I NEEDED TO BE HEALTHY IF I'M GONNA TEACH KIDS. UPBEAT MUSIC MOANA FINDS THE SOLO MUM STEREOTYPE INSULTING AND REJECTS THE IDEA THAT WELFARE DEPENDENCY IS A CHOICE. ONE MORE TIME. AND GO. IF YOU PUT YOURSELF IN OUR POSITION, WOULD YOU REALLY WANT TO BE LIVING LIKE THIS? WOULD YOU REALLY WANT PEOPLE GOING, 'YOU'RE USELESS, AND YOU'VE GOT SO MANY KIDS'? YOU KNOW, BUT IF YOU DON'T LIVE IT, YOU ACTUALLY DON'T REALLY KNOW. DO YOU HAVE ANY REGRETS? N... NO, BECAUSE THE THING IS IF I HAD REGRETS, THEN I'D HAVE TO KIND OF WIPE OUT MY KIDS. YOU KNOW, IT'S REGRETTABLE THAT THEY WERE EXPOSED TO STUFF, YEAH, WHEN I DIDN'T GET ALONG WITH THEIR DADS. MM, THAT WASN'T THE BRAINIEST THING THAT I'VE EVER DONE. BUT AS FAR AS LIVING THE LIFE THAT I HAVE LIVED BECAUSE THAT'S INVOLVED MY CHILDREN, THEY'VE MADE ME A BETTER PERSON, WAY BETTER THAN WHAT I WOULD'VE BEEN IF I DIDN'T HAVE KIDS. READY? YEAH, JUST CUT ME OUT. OH YEAH. CUT ME OUT. LAUGHTER TALK ABOUT STORING UP JOKES. THAT WAS MINE FROM TWO YEARS AGO. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, MOANA. NOREIRA KUA HIKINA TE HUI MO TENEI RA. THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY, HUI HOPPERS. YOU'LL FIND ALL OF OUR STORIES ON THE 3NOW WEBSITE, AND WE'LL POST LINKS ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE, THE HUI TV, OR ON TWITTER @THEHUITV3. MAKE SURE TO TELL EVERYONE IN YOUR TOUCH TEAM TO CHECK US OUT NEXT WEEK. NGA MIHI KI NGA MAMA KATOA. KIDS, BE GOOD TO YOUR MUMS. UNTIL NEXT WEEK, HEI KONA MAI RA. CAPTIONS BY ABLE. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2016