Te Roopu Rua Tekau-Ma-Waru A Tu: 28 Māori Battalion

The men of A, B, C, and D Companies were known as the “Gum Diggers” from the North, the “Penny Divers” from the Bay of Plenty, the “Cowboys” from the East Coast, and “Ngāti Walkabout” from the South Island. These men had volunteered to fight, and whanaungatanga, or deep ties of kinship, played a big part in their decision – if one family member enlisted, the others felt they should follow.

First broadcast on Anzac Day, 25 April 1980, this programme won the 1980 Radio Award for best documentary. Produced and jointly presented by Whai Ngata and Stephen Riley.

Courtesy RNZ. From the RNZ Collection at Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision