Over the past three decades, Ngā Aho Whakaari has been at the forefront of Māori self-determination to create, produce and represent their own stories on screen.
Paving the way for the establishment of Ngā Aho Whakaari, was Te Manu Aute. In the 1980s, Te Manu Aute played a crucial role in driving the political agenda of Māori screen production. Like other pan-Māori organisations of the time, including the Te Reo Māori Society, Māori Women’s Welfare League, New Zealand Council, Ngā Kaiwhakapumau I te Reo, and Ngā Tamatoa, Te Manu Aute contributed to the resurgence of Te Reo Māori and cultural revitalisation efforts. Continuing this tradition, Te Manu Aute chose to do so as a loose coalition rather than a formal organisation, until the creation of Ngā Aho Whakaari as an incorporated society in 1996.