Ko Mihingarangi tenei, e mihi atu nei, nau mai, tahuti mai ra. Welcome to The Hui, Maori current affairs for all New Zealanders. Coming up this morning ` We bring you the tragic story of two young men who fled into the rugged Kaimanawa Forest, never to return. The mothers of Vincent Taurima and Hakopa Ngaroanoa speak about their sons, the agony of the month-long search and the fateful decision that would cost them their lives. Waiting for answers. Waiting for the police. Waiting for a miracle. (SNIFFS) The might be homeless, but they're not without hope. We using the street choir that's using the power of song to change lives. It's a pretty positive thing. When I sing, it's amazing. Just takes me away, really. Karahuihui mai. Imagine the terror of discovering your child is missing in one of Aotearoa's most treacherous environments, then the agony of waiting a month to find them, only to discover they've perished. That's the reality for the mothers of Hakopa Ngaroanoa and Vincent Taurima, two young men who fled into the Kaimanawa Forest last month. What started as a police chase soon turned into a search and rescue with a fatal ending. The Hui's Raiha Paki spoke to their mums about their ordeal. The Kaimanawa Forest. Rugged, wild and unforgiving. This is a place where only the most experienced bushmen dare to tread. One month ago, two young men fled into this treacherous landscape completely unprepared. NEWSREADER: It was a police chase that turned into a police search in one of the country's most unforgiving environments. Police have found a gas canister and the remnants of a campfire, but most worryingly, two piles of wet clothing, including shirts, socks and shoes. Do you think it was a silly decision? I don't think the boys were thinking at all. A decision that would cost them their lives. For four weeks, the police and volunteers searched for Vincent Taurima and Hakopa Ngaroanoa, while their mothers endured an agony few parents can imagine. What does that feel like to wait? Everything else is spinning around and I'm staying still, (SNIFFS) waiting for my baby to come back, waiting for answers, waiting for the police. Waiting for a miracle. (SNIFFLES) So who were these young men? Vincent Taurima was a 21-year-old father of one. Hakopa Ngaroanoa was a 26-year-old labourer. The pair who made a fatal decision to enter the dense bush were neighbourhood friends. Hakopa's mum says her son was a gentle soul, who cared for his whanau. He was so beautiful, as in right from the beginning. He was a very quiet boy, very much a mama's boy. He gives the nicest hugs. Vinny's mum Denise is a stay-at-home mother of nine. Vincent is her eldest. He's a good worker. We had him out in the vineyards when he was two years old. Was he funny? Yeah. Funny kid. Funny, but they were pretty dry, his jokes. Only he'd laugh at it. But for four weeks there's been nothing to laugh about. She's asked that we don't show her face, but when I met Denise on the 22nd day of the search, she was pouring over maps of the area, looking for any clues that might bring her son home. He's in there. Yeah. Somewhere. But wherever he is, he's got a well-sheltered spot. On the 12th of August, the pair left Palmerston North for a road trip to Turangi to visit Vinny's baby. Before they left, Hakopa called his mum Maraea, who was a little worried. He'd just ended a long-term relationship and wasn't himself. Her last words to him would prove to be prophetic. 'You just be safe, my son. Make good choices,' just really emphasising, 'Please, make some good choices, 'and I'll see you when you get back. I love you.' To able to say 'I love you too, Mum,' even with his friend there, shows the kind of kind of guy he is, the kind of son I have. What Maraea didn't know was that the pair's road trip was allegedly made in a stolen vehicle. The police caught up with them on the Desert Rd. Vinny and Hoaks then made the fatal decision to abandon their car on Tree Trunk Gorge Road, taking off on foot into the unforgiving Kaimanawa Forest. There were some footprints leading away from the vehicle, but there was no police dog available that day, so there was nothing more done. And I think it was kinda left on the basis that the boys would scoot into the bush for a while and then walk out, perhaps, later. That was our main focus there. There's a number of their things just in this side of that stream and then more of their gear out here. Two days after they fled into the bush, the police informed Maraea Ngaroanoa and Denise August of the events. No mother ever wants to hear the news that their child is missing. I don't know what to say or how to feel. So, like, I don't even want to hear this. I just went numb from there. What would be more chilling, the news that the day after they fled, the boys made contact with police by dialling 111, desperate for help. NEWSREADER: When the call was made, the man's phone was running out of battery. We've been able to locate a position through the GPS in the phone. But unfortunately, they were not at that location when we put search teams in the bush. Police got three 111 calls from these two young men, cos they were in a bit of a bad way. They'd got lost in the bush. Clearly they'd run away from the vehicle and then walked through a stream, got cold, got wet, and spent the night out, and they were in a bit of a predicament. And they were keen to get the search and rescue teams in there, and we were keen to coordinate that. Both families came to Turangi to be closer to Vincent and Hakopa and help with the search. What followed was a whole month of waiting, waiting for word from the search team, waiting for their sons. When I met up with them three weeks into the search, they were still determined to bring the boys home. Do you still hold on to hope? I do. I do. Anything's possible, and that's what I hold on to. Vincent's mum Denise was adamant she wasn't going to leave without her son, something made possible by the generosity of the owners of Extreme Backpackers in Turangi, who opened their doors to her. Denise spent every day in the bush trying to find her boy. Does it make you feel closer to him when you're out there? It just makes me feel better trying. Yeah. It's been a traumatising experience for Denise, and while we can't show you her face, her pain is plain to see. (CRIES) Doing all of this and just standing here is useless. When shit comes to shove, we always had each others' back, even though... he's my eldest, so he's like the chief. Hundreds of volunteers, search experts and police combed the Kaimanawa looking for the pair. NEWSREADER: Five teams of police are searching an area around Tree Trunk Gorge Rd, which is off the Desert Rd. Area commander Warwick Morehu says 70% of the police on the case were Maori. I watched the team work hard day after day after day, week after week and not lose motivation. Probably, as it drew on, they got more motivated to bring these fellas back. Honestly, it's been beautiful seeing so many brown faces in blue. But for all their efforts, it was not to be. Exactly four weeks to the day after Vincent and Hakopa went missing, their bodies were finally found by a stream deep in the Kaimanawa, far from where they'd ditched their vehicle. Ultimately the best result would have been to bring them home alive. We didn't achieve that in this case. Speaking from experience, I suppose, no parent wants to lose a child. One bad decision, two mothers heartbroken and so many questions unanswered. I've sat in this very spot and screamed about not understanding why. I don't understand why I would end up with this beautiful child, young man, son, for only 26 years. I have to accept that God's will is ultimate and that's what gives me solace. Te ika huirua o te mate. Kia tau te aio, kia au te moe. Na Raiha Paki tera purongo. And Vincent and Hakopa's case has now been referred to the coroner. Hei muri i nga whakatairanga e ono nga ra e toe ana, ka korero ahau ki te kaiarahi tuarua o te Ropu Reipa, ki a Kelvin Davis, mo nga kaupapa here a tana pati e pa ana ki te reo. The mothers of Vincent Taurima and Hakopa Ngaroanoa speak about their sons, Hoki mai ano. Ko te wiki o te reo tenei, a, e ono noa iho nga ra e toe ana kia tu te kowhiringa poti. Labour have made a play for lovers of the Maori language this week, promising to make te reo a part of the curriculum until high school. So what does it mean, and how will it work? Hei matapaki i nga taipitopito o tenei kaupapa here, kua tae mai ki te taiwhanga papapho te kaiarahi tuarua o Reipa, a Kelvin Davis. Tena koe. Kia ora. Morena, Mihi. Morena. Ko te wiki o te reo Maori. Me pehea koe. E whakakaha, whakapakiri e toa ki reo? Kotahi te huarahi kia korero ai te reo, ma te korero kaha whakapakiri ai. Engari he mea ano, he panui, me whakarongo hoki ki te reo, kia tino mata taurawa, kia tohunga rawa te reo. Ka pai. No Nga Puhi koe. You're from one of the greatest speakers of te reo Maori. Is it a bit daunting going up there? You know, being on marae and stuff and having to stand? Well, you just have to do it. If you're really passionate about te reo, you just have to force yourself out of your comfort zone and do it, but I remember one time I was at a hui, and I was a new MP at the time, and I was nudged and they said, 'Hey, are you gonna jump up and speak?' And I said, 'Oh, nah,' 'Why not?' 'Oh, I don't really know what to say.' And I was told, 'Look, there's nothing that we say on our marae that hasn't been said 'a million times before. We just repackage it. So just think about what our tupuna said 'repackage it, and get up and go for it.' And it was a bit of a lightbulb moment for me. I went, 'Yeah, that's right, actually.' Just do it. Ka pai. So tell us about this te reo Maori package. Is it compulsory reo in schools? Yeah, pretty much so. By 2025, we expect all primary school teachers and early childhood teachers to integrate te reo Maori throughout the curriculum. So, we're not saying they must have separate Maori language lessons, we're saying this needs to be an integral part of weaving the two languages together, because New Zealand, or English-speaking countries are the only countries that really have this hang-up about two languages. And if you go to other countries in Europe and.. other countries, they actually intertwine the languages together, and we've` So for example, if you're in a social studies or a history class learning about... something, you might have a teacher who's using kupu throughout her korero and things like that? Is that what you're asking? We expect it to be more than kupu, and that needs to be sentences, but we also realise that teachers need to be upskilled in this, and in particular their confidence. That's why we're providing places for professional development. We're investing $14 million over four years to grow the confidence and the strength of our teachers. We'll have some teachers that are already right up there, but some that are less confident. We already have a shortage of reo Maori speakers, particularly in Auckland. They're hard to come by. How are you going to create these teachers? Exactly, and that's why we say by 2025, because we know we've gotta ramp things up. We've gotta identify teachers. Teachers are going to have to do it in the national curriculum, as they're teaching, so that's why we need to be` How many new teacher by 2025? Well, the teachers that we've got actually need to be upskilled. So there'll be new teachers coming in` So are you saying that teachers are now going to be bilingual? We're going to help them to grow their fluency. I mean, everyone's on this fluency scale, aren't they? From zero fluency through to tona matatau. So we've gotta help people wherever they're at to intertwine and interweave and integrate te reo Maori into their lessons. And it's not going to be easy. It will be daunting for many. But the thing is that we expect by 2025, every student in early childhood centres, primary and intermediate schools, they will have te reo integrated throughout their learning. Is 14 million enough? It's a start. We'll take a good hard look at how much further we need to go and how much more might be needed. But it might be enough. We just don't know until we really get into it and see really what the needs are of teacher. It's exciting that we're committing to 2025, that every child in New Zealand will have te reo integrated into their learning. Couple of weeks into the job now. How do you think your role's going as deputy leader? Oh, good. You know, I make mistakes, and I'll probably make a few for as well, but it's always about learning. I'm really passionate about where I'm at and about leading Te Tai Tokerau as well as having a greater, wider responsibility across the country, and I just think it's exciting that there's a Maori finally in this role, and I just look forward to the continued journey. I saw a little challenge on Facebook this morning by a former MP saying, 'Look, if we're smart,' to Maori, 'you could have two for one in the north, 'and two for one in Waiariki.' Would you be into something` I know you've said no to this before, but why not have Hone and you? Well, if we extrapolate that theory, we could have it in every seat, we could have people saying it. The reality is is that my record over the last three years in terms of sexual violence, in terms of Serco's gone, Statoil's gone` So no room for Hone? It's quality not quantity. And if you look at the previous nine years, if we ask what was achieved, all we can hear is crickets chirping. You said that, once you had been given the deputy leader, you said this would give Maori a sense of satisfaction that you have been named the first Maori deputy leader. Come the election results, say Labour's in a position where they can form a coalition with somebody. Are you going to give that seat up? We have to wait and see where the cards fall. How satisfied would Maori be if you did? The most important thing is that we change the government. The most important thing is that we have a Labour-led government. And any negotiations will happen after. I'll still be the deputy leader of the Labour Party. But would you be willing to give up some of those roles? Say, Maori Development to the Maori Party, if you had to form a relationship. We're going to have, probably, 14 Maori MPs. The greatest number of` Remember, I came here and said 12 before? Absolutely! Now we're looking at 14 Maori MPs. We've got so much talent that's going to come into the Labour Party that we need to look at dividing up responsibilities, Maori responsibilities, amongst ourselves in the first instance. But you may need a friend to get across the line. You may need another party, and if do, will you give some of those`? That's all for negotiation post-election. Ka pai. Jacinda Ardern has said, you know, she'll ring the Greens first then we'll look a things, but we're going to have so much Maori talent in the Labour Party, that we're going to struggle to give everyone all the jobs that are going. Kia ora. Ka nui te mihi ki a koe. Kia ora. Kia ora. Kia mau tonu mai ra te titiro. We meet the street choir changing lives next. The mothers of Vincent Taurima and Hakopa Ngaroanoa speak about their sons, Kei te matakitaki koutou i a Te Hui. E ai ki te korero, ko te puoro te reo ka maramatia e te katoa. The Auckland Street Choir brings people from all walks of life together and uses the power of song to give them a voice. For some of it's most vulnerable members, it's been a life-changing experience, uplifting their wairua and reconnecting them to their community. Anei te purongo a Ruwani Perera. (GUITAR PLAYS FAT FREDDY'S DROP'S 'WANDERING EYE') ALL: # When I wanna see right through you, # flyin' high in Freddy voodoo, # lucid dreaming, magic wonder. # Can you see this spell I'm under? # The power of song. MAN: It's given me a sense of purpose, really. ALL: # We come to do it, yeah. # MAN: It's like a big family. ALL: # I got the wandering eye. Do do do-do do-do do # This choir practise is much more than a singing session. For some, it's been their salvation. Well, just bringing me back out of my isolation that I put myself into and bringing me back to the community. Becoming a part of this unique group has been a life-changing experience for 37-year-old Richard Turipa. Yeah, it's a pretty positive thing, and when I sing, it's amazing. Just takes me away, really He's a member of the Auckland Street Choir, a group formed three years ago to give a voice to the disadvantaged, a place where those who live in the margins of our society can feel at home. Richard knows what it's like to struggle. He's lived on and off the streets for most of his life. Most recently he's been in emergency housing, and while he's had a roof over his head, there's been no certainty. Dealing with his serious health issues while sleeping rough has made Richard's situation even harder, and it's taken a toll on his state of mind. (CRIES) Just thinking that you're not good enough, even though you pray everyday that you're gonna be a good person. Just a doubt, you know. Not good enough, no one loves you. ALL: # Do, do-do do, do do do-do. # But Richard has re-discovered the confidence he lost since he joined the choir. ALL: # Workin' in a coal mine. Oops, I just slipped down! WOMEN: Workin' in a coal mine, MEN: # Going WOMEN: # Down, down, down. MEN: # Working WOMEN: # In a coal mine ALL: # Oops, about to slip down. # People like me have found a way to engage with the street community that we probably wouldn't have had otherwise, and so it's building some new bridges and some understanding. And then start to go down to the word 'romantic'. # While the gods of love look down and laugh at what romantic fools we mortals be. # Musical director and founder Rohan McMahon had the idea for starting up a street choir back in 2015, moved by what he saw on the streets of Auckland. Although he has a day job, this voluntary role with the choir is his passion. That's not bad. What do you think? It occurred to me that there were more and more homeless people around, and thought perhaps it was possible to do something musically for and with the street community The idea caught on. There's a core group of 25 regulars. Numbers have increased over time as word on the street spreads. We've had people in their teens and certainly going well up into their 70s, so there's quite a big range there. They meet every Tuesday night. It's very much an open-door policy. Although they practice in a church, there's no religious requirements Anyone, regardless of their circumstance, is welcome. ALL: # Who's that walking, walking behind you? # Who's that talking, talking about you? # There are no rules here. In fact, even being tone deaf is no barrier from joining ` just ask Richard. Oh, no. No, I know I'm not a great singer. I laugh all the time because sometimes I can hear my voice, and it pops out a little bit more than it should, but that's the great thing about singing when you have so many singers and the different varieties of voices ` everyone can blend quite nicely. I get a lot of people say to me, 'Oh, I can't sing,' and it's like, 'Well, what would happen if you try?' (TALKING HEADS' 'TAKE ME TO THE RIVER' PLAYS ON GUITAR) ALL: # I don't know why I look like I do. # All the changes you put me through. # You took my money, my cigarettes... # The music is as varied as their vocal skills and backgrounds, singing pop songs alongside soul and reggae hits. I usually find that people bring in songs that they really like, and that's a great way to choose material. ALL: # Take me to the river! # Wash me down. # Rawiri Ngatai has been with the group from the beginning and was instrumental in introducing Rohan to Maori songs and waiata to the group. ALL: # Ka rere koe. # Me runga rawa ra e. # Haere atu koe ki te taumata. # Whakatau mai ra nui. # RICHARD: Rohan is the kaitiaki of the group, and I was there to awhi him. For me, I still can't really wrap my mouth around 'a ki a te... ki atuatu koe ki te taumata.' I get that wrong. He's been pleased for what work I've brought into the choir and the wairua that I've brought into the choir, because he felt there was no spirit in the choir. There was no wairuatanga. ALL: # He tika e. # Me whakarongo, tau toko. # And waiata have undoubtedly added aroha to the choir's repertoire. (APPLAUSE) Friendships have been formed. Feelings of isolation have been replaced by feeling good about themselves for the first time in a long time. Just communicating with people again, good people, stepping away from the negativity. Richard feels a part of his community again. He's finally in permanent housing, moving into this inner-city apartment. Life has never been better, and he wants to share his experience in the hope of offering support for others going through tough times. I'm trying to help other homeless people that can't find their way. People that are just down and out. Slowly, we've started to get to know people and made some good friends, and you realise just the depth of musical talent that's out there. There's some fantastic musicians out there. (APPLAUSE) MAN: For the Street Choir! (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) Three years of rehearsals have led to this ` a fundraiser for Auckland's homeless and most vulnerable residents. MAN: Toru, wha! ALL: # Huri anei, # e te roa. # It's the street choir's first performance in front of an audience, and tonight ` no pressure ` they're playing to a full house. ALL: # Whitiwhiti a... # RICHARD: That was our first actual gig. That was amazing. The singers, the groups. Amazing singing, and the people that turned up. ALL: # Oh yeah, oh yeah. # Shooby dooby do-wop. # Wa-oo, wa-oo. # Left his mark on this world... # This concert is a big deal for many of the singers, not used to being in the limelight, taking centre stage is a huge personal achievement and shows just how far they've come. And I think it has positive effects on people's mental health for that reason. I'm glad I just got through it. What if the next person isn't strong enough, (VOICE BREAKS) strong enough to get there? ALL: # He whakama, he whakama, MEN: # Tapa tu! Tapa toa! This is only the beginning. Rohan has big plans for the Auckland Street Choir's future. I certainly want to keep it going. I'd like to see us maybe do a recording, that would be quite cool. A professional recording. See if we can take ourselves up to the next level. It shows that anything is possible, when a company of strangers sing from the same song sheet. It's amazing. Sometimes it amazes yourself. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) Miharo, all right. Thanks for joining us today, Hui Hoppers. We'll post links to the show on our Facebook page and on Twitter @thehuinz, and you'll find all our stories on the Newshub website. Make sure you join us a little earlier at 9am next week for our one-hour election special. It's sure to be a doozy! The Nation is next, e hoa ma. Pai marire ki a tatou katoa. Captions by Tom Pedlar. www.able.co.nz Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2017