Going by the book:

Sunday presenter Miriama Kamo tells Sarah Nealon about how a ‘wonderful’ rejection letter led to the publishing of her first children’s book.

Miriama Kamo’s restoration project.

Miriama Kamo waited 10 years before sending a children’s book she had penned to a publisher. But the wait paid off – well sort of. “I’ve always written stories ever since I was a kid,” says Kamo, who returns to TVNZ 1 this week to present Sunday. “But I’ve never been brave enough to send (them) to a publisher. Last year I finally thought, ‘I’ll get brave and I’ll send one in’ and so I did. “I asked a friend in the publishing industry who I should send it to. He suggested Scholastic, which I did, and they rejected it. But it was the most wonderful rejection letter I’d ever had.” While Scholastic didn’t want to publish that particular book, they asked if she could write one about Matariki (the M ori New Year). The result is The Stolen Stars Of Matariki which is scheduled for release in May. Kamo has set her story in Te Mata H puku (Birdlings Flat), Canterbury, where she was staying at the time of our interview. “That’s where my parents live and we’ve had a place here since my father’s uncle set up a place here. “We’ve had it for decades. It’s a brilliant, wild, crazy place and I love coming out here. “The book is basically about a couple of children who love to come and visit their grandparents and do eeling. It’s a bit of a tradition out here to go eeling, so basically they have a night where they discover there is some mischief that’s been done by Patupaiarehe, which are like fairy folk.” By sheer chance, Zak Waipara, the illustrator who was selected by the publisher to work on Kamo’s book, also has a special connection to Te Mata H puku.

“I didn’t know Zak, but what we discovered was he would come out here when he was a kid,” says Kamo.

“And this is a really remote spot in New Zealand. It’s a hidden gem. It was really coincidental that he happened to have some familiarity with the area. On top of that, his brother, Tama, is a renowned musician and one of my dear friends.”

Last year Kamo did a story for Sunday about the lake at Te Mata H puku and the problems it is facing – throwing the spotlight on its seasonal pollution issues and the threat to eeling.

“Some very good people out here, hapu are really fighting hard to save the lake,” says Kamo, who will donate profits from her book sales to the cause.

“I’m really excited about that. We really need some attention out there. For the lake not to survive is unthinkable.”

Kamo, who is married with a daughter and stepson, was a reporter on Sunday when it began screening in 2002. She later spent six years fronting 20/20 before returning to the show.

“I’m really privileged to be the shop front of this programme and of everybody’s hard, passionate work,” she says.

“I think that’s a real honour. The other thing is, Sunday is the last long-form current affairs programme left on telly.

“In many ways we feel like we’re the last bastion of long-form TV current affairs.”

And while many news organisations are making cutbacks, Sunday appears to be bucking the trend.

The top-rating show is adding to its staff. Ex-Seven Sharp reporter and Survivor New Zealand host Matt Chisholm and Tania Page, whose CV includes stints on 3 News and Al Jazeera, are joining the team.

“I’m really excited about the two new reporters that we have,” says Kamo. “They both have a particular world view that I think will resonate with our viewers. I think they’ll fit in beautifully with the team.

“Tania Page is M ori and so I’m excited to have another M ori face on Sunday. Another powerful M ori voice will be wonderful.”

Besides her Sunday role, Kamo also presents Marae, a current affairs show with a M ori focus.

“We’re in a really interesting and exciting time where it feels like there is a real renaissance and interest in care and passion for te reo, where it’s not just M ori asking for support, it’s M ori and P keh joining together and saying, ‘We want to ensure the survival of this language and to see it thrive’,” she says.

“Marae has always been a programme that has heralded and celebrated M ori achievement and success.

“And that’s something that I want to see continue this year where we tell our great stories as well as our stories where we are looking for change.”

“Sunday is the last long-form current affairs programme left on telly. In many ways we feel like we’re the last bastion of long-form TV current affairs.” – Miriama Kamo