Mana | Tāme Iti

Iconic Māori activist, artist, and performer Tāme Iti shares his extraordinary life, defined by resistance, resilience, and rangatiratanga.

Mana. It's a big word. But what is it? Are you born with it, can you earn it, can it be taken away?

For more than five decades, Tāme Iti has stood at the heart of Aotearoa's struggle for indigenous rights. From land marches to performance art, police raids to prison cells, his voice has challenged New Zealand to reckon with its colonial legacy. Once branded as a dangerous and extreme activist, now hailed as a national treasure, Tāme has lived the contradictions and realities of standing with mana motuhake in a modern world.

After being silenced from speaking te reo Māori as a child, Tāme went on to champion its revitalisation. He discovered the power of protest and what it means to live with mana in a world that often tries to strip it away. This is his kōrero of the road he walked and the people who joined him. The comrades, the supporters, and the ones who tried to take him out.

Mana is the story of a man who has never stopped challenging the status quo. It cements Tāme's place as one of Aotearoa's most iconic figures.

Tāme Iti (Ngāi Tūhoe) is a New Zealand Māori activist, artist, and agitator, known for his advocacy for Māori rights and te reo Māori revitalisation.