Te Ao o Te Māori: A window into the rich lifestyles of contemporary Māori

Photographs and words nā Phil Tumataroa

Jason Phillips cringes when he thinks back to his early days as an on-air radio host with Tahu FM.

“I didn’t have any reo whatsoever and my pronunciation was really terrible as well.”

That has changed a lot over the past nine years honing his language skills and his craft while hosting various breakfast, daytime and drive shows on the popular iwi radio station based in Ōtautahi.

Jason (Kāti Mako Kāti Irākehu) says as well as taking te reo classes he has also absorbed the language through learning waiata, kapa haka and had amazing support from work mates and the people around him.

“Improving my reo and my cultural development has been a big part of my journey here at Tahu.”

Jason completed a radio diploma in Auckland and did a short stint with Media Works before a whānau connection suggested moving home to join the team and step in for Waipounamu Te Karu who was away on maternity leave at the time.

“It’s almost impossible to get an on-air job straight out of training school – it was meant to be.”

While a lot of the job is in a sound proof room, the role also offers plenty of opportunities outside of the studio, MCing at tribal events like Hui-ā-Iwi and road shows, as well as kapa haka competitions and community events.

“I have a genuine interest in people, I love doing events and meeting people who listen to me on the radio, and it helps that I don’t mind telling embarrassing stories about myself – it builds trust and connects you with whānau.”

Jason is now entering a new phase of his journey and has made the move to Programme Director, a role that sees him responsible for the unique sound and content offerings of the station. While he will miss being behind the microphone, he’s excited about the change and the opportunity it offers to learn a new side of the industry.

“I want to learn how to run an iwi radio station – so doing this is the next step to maybe one day becoming a station manager.
“I’m stepping back from on-air and stepping up into a new role that’s about crafting a radio station for our iwi. I am passionate about radio and I love my job at Tahu FM. We celebrate our people – it’s such a breath of fresh air.”