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Indigenous

The church, the kaiwero and the apology: Pat Mohi exclusive interview

Pat Mohi. Photo / Te Ao with Moana

This Monday evening, Te Ao with Moana speaks exclusively with Pat Mohi, the man whose face was digitally removed - from an image of him laying down a wero, taiaha in hand - for an Easter pamphlet circulated by the Hope Project, a Christian charity group.

“The thing that got me the most were the people in the picture around me - they were grandchildren, friends,” says Mohi.

“The wero itself, that position in particular is one that everybody adopts from our style. So I saw my father, I saw my nephews, I saw us all combined metaphorically within that position.”

Te Ao with Moana also talks toHope Project coordinator Dave Mann, who with church members travelled to Tarimano Marae, just outside Rotorua, earlier this week to offer amends.

“We’ve done a wrong. We represent the Christian faith, we can’t do anything but be open and honest.”

The full story on Te Ao with Moana, this Monday at 8pm.