Fiona Apanui

Iwi

Ngāti Porou

Whānau

Hapū: Te whānau a Tūwhakairiora

Education

Secondary: Burnside High School.
Tertiary: New Zealand Broadcasting School

Occupation

Presenter on Mai Time.

What did you want to be when you were young?

I always wanted to do something in the television industry however I wasn't sure what.

Who are your inspirational role models?

Michael Jones, my dad, Stacey Daniels, and Sir Apirana Ngata.

What is your favourite...

· food?

Roast chicken.

· person/people?

The Christian dance group Jyrah. I like what they do and what they stand for.

· movie?

Love and Basketball.

· TV programme?

Alias.

· music?

I loooooove Stevie Wonder but in terms of current waiata: Nesian Mystik, Che Fu, Trinity Roots, Katchafire, Ruia and Ranea, Teinakore sistas, and Mary J Blige.

· pastime?

Playing sport, whakapakari taku reo Māori, hanging with my mates, and having a bit of kanikani.

What would be your ideal day?

Sunny day heading to the beach or going to the bush - basically getting out of the city. Hanging with friends or looking after my mate's tamariki and laxing out; and of course, a good kai just to top things off! That's my realistic "ideal day", but if it could be anything I'd love to go back to Argentina for a day and have a big catch up with all of my mates.

What is the grossest thing in your fridge?

I don't think there's anything particularly gross, most things are chucked out after a couple of weeks!!!

What is your most embarrassing moment?

There's so many to choose from! I think though for me it was when I was learning Spanish; I used to get so many things wrong and people were forever laughing at me cause I'd use the wrong word in the wrong context.

What are your ambitions for the future?

That's a question I'm still asking myself!!! I'm not sure, I'm just getting used to this job and I really haven't thought past Mai Time at the moment. One ambition I do have is to continue with my reo and to one day be fluent. I'd also like to do another degree - maybe next year focusing on te reo and also history and politics.

What sparked your interest in following your particular career path?

I'd always been interested in television and I did a journalism degree at the NZ Broadcasting school. But I just felt that hard hitting journalism wasn't me. Don't get me wrong I do enjoy it, but I also have a creative side when it comes to writing and I also love to clown around. I had just come back to New Zealand from Argentina when the position became available at Mai Time and jumped at the opportunity because the show incorporates all the things I love.

December, 2003