Tumeke FM has been named Iwi Radio Station of the Year again, taking out the top honour at the 2025 Iwi Radio Awards in Napier – the first time the event has been held since 2018.

Broadcasters Sonny Kahika and Kahi Stevens attended the ceremony at Pettigrew Green Arena last month alongside station manager Jarrod Dodd.

“Twenty-one iwi radio stations entered this year’s awards, and the event in Napier “brought together more than 500 iwi broadcasters, whānau, and stakeholders from across Aotearoa to celebrate the unique contribution of iwi radio,” according to the Facebook post.

Mr Stevens said the award recognised the collective efforts of the station’s team over several years.

“We’ve won the award back-to-back, we won it back in 2018… and because of Covid and Cyclone Gabrielle, the awards didn’t run again until now,” he said.

Mr Kahika said the award reflected the commitment of the team and its connection to the communities it serves. “It’s a collection of the work that the radio station has done… what we’ve done since 2018 up to now,” he said.

The pair said they were surprised to win ahead of larger northern stations. Mr Stevens noted they were finalists alongside Te Hiku Media and Ngāti Hine FM, organisations he described as “massive” in their community engagement.

“For us to get this was a huge surprise,” he said.

Both broadcasters believe Tumeke FM stands out because of its deep community involvement and commitment to local reo Māori dialects. Mr Stevens said reo was central to their identity. “Our te reo Māori makes us unique, of course; not just the generic te reo Māori, but Mātaatua-based,” he said.

Mr Kahika is Te Whakatōhea from Ōpōtiki and Mr Stevens is Tūhoe from Waiohau. Mr Kahika adds that authenticity is important.

“It’s about being true to who we are in our iwi and our hapū,” he said.

The station maintains a strong presence across local events, from major events such as the recent Te Tārata commemorations in Opotiki, to smaller community engagements.  Even taking Solero ice creams or Maketū pies down the road and hooking people up – we love doing that kind of stuff.”

Tumeke FM is also well known for its kapa haka coverage, including livestreaming regional competitions. “We’re kind of like the go-to for kapa haka competitions,” Mr Kahika said. “Everyone’s like, ‘Oh, Tumeke will livestream it.’”

Both broadcasters say the station has made significant strides online and with their social media platforms, something they credit to manager Jarrod Dodd.

“Jarrod’s got a real creative business mind,” Mr Kahika said. “He’s always looking for ways to get funding, not many iwi radio stations have vehicles with their name on them, but we have five.”

Mr Stevens said social media had changed how audiences connected with them. “I got into this job so they couldn’t see my face – and now it’s cameras everywhere,” he laughs.

As well as the top station award, Tumeke FM also celebrated success across several categories – Best Rangatahi Drive Show, Best Imaging Production and Overall Imaging, and a Lifetime Achievement Award for The Honourable Justice Layne Harvey, long-serving board chair for Tumeke FM and Auckland High Court justice.

The station also received recognition at the 2025 NZ Radio & Podcast Awards in June, including special commendation for Best Broadcast in Te Reo Māori and winner of Best Te Reo Māori / Te Ao Māori Initiative radio show for Reo Rangahau.

While the win is a major milestone, the team notes ongoing challenges, particularly the need to grow future talent.

“It’d be cool to start another team to carry on this type of mahi,” Mr Kahika said. “I think a lot of young ones see online platforms as the future.”

Despite the pressures, the pair say the award confirms the strength of their kaupapa. “It shows maybe we are doing something right,” Mr Kahika said.

“It’s great to be recognised with these awards. We don’t really get feedback until we get out there, and then people say ‘Oh, you’re from Tumeke FM, yeah, I listen to you.’”

Tumeke FM has been broadcasting for more than 30 years, originally established in 1991 before evolving into its current dual-station structure alongside Sun FM.