Due to the live nature of Te Karere, some segments will not be subtitled. 17 January 2012 Concern is growing for a Maori male who has been missing for four days in the Whanganui River. A prison group has been caught, but for what? Waka ama competition organisers have their own challenge in lobbying for waka ama to become an Olympic sport. And the weather. Tena koutou katoa, and welcome to Te Karere. There is growing concern amongst police over the search for a man in the Whanganui River. The search for Duane Kaka (34) of Whanganui began on Saturday, but after four days of searching still no trace has been found. Jasmyn Pearson has this report. Whanganui River looked calm and serene on the surface today but who knows what dangers lurk beneath the surface. When the ancestors call to you, you go. This time the river took Duane Kaka (34). Four days have passed since Duane Kaka went missing in this river. Search and rescue continue to scour the banks but swelling and muddy waters mean there is practically zero visibility down there. This man knows all too well the angst ahead for the Kaka family - it was this very river that took his grandfather to his death. Another local that knows all too well how dangerous the river can be is this sentry guiding the annual tribal paddling excursion. This group of local paddlers adheres to Maori protocol of the river - but it is said the group that Duane Kaka was with did not. Authorities hold grave concerns for the well-being of Duane Kaka but authorities will continue the search and rescue for him. A prison group has been caught by the Department of Conservation gathering seafood from a marine reserve in the Hawke's Bay. Six inmates and two prison guards were caught in the act. Anzac Pikia has this report. Whare Oranga Ake are suppose to be rehabilitating inmates not teaching them to break the law. An investigation is under way after the Corrections Department confirmed that six Hawke's Bay Prison inmates and two staff were apprehended by a conservation ranger and police after emerging from Te Angiangi Marine Reserve. They said they thought they were at the right beach, but basically they weren't. The prisoners were on temporary release as part of the Whare Oranga Ake programme, which aims to provide a kaupapa Maori environment for prisoners near the end of their sentence. Fishing is prohibited in marine reserves and anyone caught doing so can face up to three months in prison, fines of $10,000 and possible forfeiture of boats and fishing gear. This matter is still better investigated by the Department of Corrections. Anzac Pikia, Te Karere. Te Papa will welcome home to NZ, 20 toi moko (human remains) from France at a ceremony next week. Staff from the museum's Karanga Aotearoa repatriation programme team are in Paris for a handover ceremony at the Musee du Quai Branly today Toi moko were returned from France in May last year and these were the remaining toi moko in their possession. NZ and Australia will lobby to have waka ama entered as a sport in the Olympic Games. Potaka Maipi has more. The sport of waka ama itself competing to enter the Olympics. The new board is working with the Australian waka ama confederation to get in to the Commonwealth Games firstly. The new board members are in full support. Day one of the waka ama champs are reserved for the youth. It is the strong numbers of youth that will help with the bid for Commonwealth and Olympic entry. The aim is the Commonwealth Games 2018, then the ultimate - the Olympics. Potaka Maipi, Te Karere. After the break, Ngati Kahungunu review their Maori language strategy; and the Maori co-captains of the Chiefs. One of Ngati Kahungunu's goals this year is to review their language strategy. Is their strategy still relevant in this day and age? A Kura Reo was held in the Kahungunu region recently. We spoke with an authority in the language, customs and knowledge of Kahungunu. A constant battle. I'm here at the Kura Reo in Napier with 170 students, around 80 of whom are of Kahungunu descent. In the past year, there have been many initiatives put in place in regenerating the language and developing the quality of language used by speakers. There are many who've just begun to learn our language all over the country, but in the past year, I've seen the quality of the language grow immensely, but we have a long way to go yet. 5 years have passed since the original language strategy was launched in 2006 in Hastings. What we need to do now is to discuss the last five years to see whether the strategy has done what it was designed to do and review it to see whether the strategy is still relevant today. My job this year will be to assess the education and language strategies of Kahungunu. Once that is done, we will design a strategy to meet our goals. I've been in this position for a year now and have seen that the strategy can still be used this year. My main focus for those who have a knowledge of the language is to develop it. My aim for developing the language's quality in teachers of the language so that it flows well and keeps with the traditions of Kahungunu. But to speak Kahungunu, first one must speak Maori. These are my aspirations for the years ahead. I will strive to help those with a passion for the language to have more wananga such as this one and for them so that our language will flourish and also to help wananga such as Te Ataarangi in Wairoa and all those who are working to help those who've just jumped onto the reo band wagon. Kahungunu's new catch phrase is 'Kahungunu, excel'. The Maori Party is the inspiration for the Ainu people native to Japan. The party's Waiariki representative Te Ururoa Flavell left for Japan today to support the launch of the Ainu political party. The group has long faced ridicule and oppression at the hand of the Japanese. Many of them are based in the North of Japan in Hokkaido. The Ainu people were threatened and nearly lost, but now they have risen to regain their independence. It is the Maori people who they regard as examples. They invited the Maori Party to send a representative to the launch of their new party the Ainu Party. They are the indigenous people of Japan, when the Japanese arrived they fought and enslaved the Ainu, who lost their lands and were forced to give up their traditions and language. Like Maori they are the minority in Japan but they are fighting for their rights. They want a voice in parliament. This Ainu spokesperson says they want designated seats in parliament to represent them like what Maori have in NZ. They want to follow our example to give their people a voice in parliament. The Ainu People have long been oppressed by the Japanese. Te Ururoa Flavell says his trip marks the beginning of a relationship between the Ainu party and the Maori party. The Maori party have allowed other indigenous nations to see that through struggle you can rise up and be stronger. I hope they are able to get a seat in the Japanese parliament. Te Ururoa Flavell will be in Japan for a week, the Ainu Party will be launched on Saturday. Irena Smith, Te Karere. To sports now. Liam Messam of Tuhoe and Craig Clarke of Taranaki have been chosen to be co-captains for the Chiefs this year. The head coach Dave Rennie says that it's great that there's a co-captaincy for the Chiefs because because the campaign will be a long one spanning over 24 weeks. A few baseball stars are in Auckland A few baseball stars are in Auckland at the moment mentoring those with a passion for the sport. The players pay $150 to be trained by these top American players. They hope that the programme will lift the popularity of baseball in NZ. Waka Ama clubs from throughout the country are gunning for the top today in the first day of the Waka Ama Nationals. This expert in the sport says the level of competition is excellent this year. To Piha Beach on day three of the Surf National Competitions. The organisers of the event say that the Maori surfers are excelling. He's also surprised that the champions are so young Our reporter Te Hemara Rauhihi was there so see them in action. Due to the late arrival of this story, we are unable to provide subtitles. Please visit our website to view this story with English subtitles. After the break, in what language are our children being taught to swim? and the weather. A new swimming programme for kura kaupapa Maori and kohanga reo teachers has been launched by to enable them to teach their students how to swim safely in Maori. Anzac Pikia has this report. At the moment, Maori language students are being taught water safety in English. Water Safety NZ will teach the students who will then be able to teach our kids in kohanga and kura. The students come from Te Wananga Takiura, Teachers Training College as well as some current Maori school teachers. There are 10 all up. Most safe swimming classes are in English, so we've gathered the Maori speakers and we'll teach them how to swim. At the moment, only the Maori community within Auckland will benefit. It's being supported by Water Safety NZ, NZ Post and He Oranga Poutama ki Tamaki. This is a first for us so let's hope we all can work together well so that we can decrease the numbers of Maori drownings. The first class will be held on Wednesday on the North Shore. It's hoped the students then gain a qualification to be able to teach tamariki how to swim in te reo Maori. Anzac Pikia, Te Karere. To the weather now. For weather see Teletext p103 or tvnz.co.nz. For weather see Teletext p103 or tvnz.co.nz. That's all we have for today. Turou Hawaiki. Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air.