Disheartened by one-dimensional coverage of gangs in Pākehā media, Moana Maniapoto and Hikurangi Jackson set about delving into the issue themselves. The Whakaata Māori mother-son duo's empathetic coverage captured the complexity and humanity of Aotearoa's gang landscape.
Frustration over shallow media coverage of Aotearoa's gang landscape led Whakaata Māori colleagues and mother-son duo Moana Maniapoto and Hikurangi Jackson to launch an in-depth investigation into the issue themselves.
Their empathetic one-hour special on gangs for Te Ao with Moana uncovered a complex and multifaceted situation and brought the human faces of those caught up in gang life to the fore, alongside leading experts.
In this conversation with broadcaster and media chaplain Rev Frank Ritchie, Moana and Hikurangi discuss their path into journalism and how their Māori lens has opened doors with those who'd normally be suspicious of media.