This week, Dave sits down with Professor Rangi Mātāmua — the man behind the revival of Matariki — for a special kōrero about the history, meaning, and resurgence of Aotearoa's Māori New Year.

After inheriting a 400-page manuscript from his grandfather documenting over a thousand Māori stars, Rangi set out to honour his grandfather's wish to share that knowledge with others.

His work has helped reintroduce Matariki to a new generation and played a pivotal role in establishing it as a national public holiday.

Together, Dave and Rangi explore what Matariki truly represents — honouring those we've lost, celebrating the present, and looking ahead with hope and purpose. They unpack the traditions behind the celebration, the story of its remarkable resurgence, and why it matters to people across Aotearoa.

At nearly 300kg, James McDiarmid was told he might not make it out of hospital. He feared dying on his son’s birthday and leaving his family behind. Today, he’s lost 130kg, works alongside Dave at BBM, and is helping others transform their lives through the very programme that changed his own.

In this episode, Dave sits down with James to talk about hitting rock bottom, finding the courage to ask for help, the power of consistency, and how one decision completely changed the course of his life.

A powerful kōrero about resilience, hope, and proving that it’s never too late to change.

Please help us keep Unfiltered going: ⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/unfilteredwithdave⁠⁠

This podcast is produced by the team at ⁠⁠Fanaticals⁠⁠.

Let us know what you thought of the conversation in the comments!

Eugene Bareman is the head coach of City Kickboxing — one of the world’s most respected combat sports gyms, producing UFC champions and elite fighters on the global stage.

Israel Adesanya. Dan Hooker. Kai Kara-France. Carlos Ulberg. Navajo Stirling… and many more.

In this episode, Dave sits down with Eugene to talk about building City Kickboxing from the ground up, the culture behind its success, what separates their champions, and some incredible stories from inside the fight game.

Eugene also opens up about the tragic loss of Fau Vake, how it changed his life, and the work they're doing with the Walk Without Fear Trust to create lasting change.

An epic kōrero about leadership, resilience, and what it takes to be a champion.

Please help us keep Unfiltered going: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/unfilteredwithdave⁠

This podcast is produced by the team at ⁠Fanaticals⁠

Let us know what you thought of the conversation in the comments!

Dr Timoti Te Moke’s story is one of the most remarkable we’ve ever shared on Unfiltered.

Growing up surrounded by violence, abuse and poverty, Timoti became involved in gangs, spent time in prison, and was told his future had already been written. Against all odds, he turned his life around, became a paramedic, and went on to qualify as a doctor at 56 years old.

In this episode, Dave sits down with Timoti to talk about resilience, the power of education, overcoming adversity, and why no child’s future should ever be determined by the circumstances they’re born into.

A powerful kōrero about hope, perseverance, and the belief that it’s never too late to change your life.

Please help us keep Unfiltered going: https://buymeacoffee.com/unfilteredwithdave

This podcast is produced by the team at Fanaticals

Let us know what you thought of the conversation in the comments!

For decades, Lolo Heimuli has been one of the most respected figures in New Zealand combat sports — training more than 100 national champions and 10 world champions, including names like Ray Sefo, Mark Hunt, Shane Cameron, and future coaching great Eugene Bareman.

In this episode, Dave sits down with Lolo to talk about his journey from Tonga to New Zealand, building Balmoral Lee Gar Gym from a church hall, the sacrifices behind a lifetime of coaching, and shares some hilarious stories from the golden era of New Zealand fighting.

A powerful kōrero about purpose, sacrifice, and helping others succeed.

Podcast produced by Fanaticals.

It’s tough out there right now.

So Dave sat down with Mike Bennetts — Ex-CEO of Z Energy and one of New Zealand’s most experienced business leaders — to ask the questions every business owner is thinking about.

From leading one of New Zealand’s largest companies through economic uncertainty, to coaching leaders and founders today, Mike shares practical advice on navigating tough times, looking after your people, using AI to your advantage, and why working harder isn’t always the answer.

Whether you’re running a business, leading a team, or trying to build something from the ground up, there’s plenty in this episode that could save you time, money, and a few mistakes.

To celebrate 50 episodes of Unfiltered, we’ve pulled together some of our favourite moments from the journey so far.

A huge thank you to every guest who has trusted us with their story, and to everyone who has watched, listened, shared, and supported the podcast along the way.

If you’ve enjoyed the first 50 episodes and want to help us keep these conversations going, you can now support the show here:

☕ https://buymeacoffee.com/unfilteredwithdave

Every contribution helps us continue sharing powerful stories from across Aotearoa. Thank you for being part of the journey.

Hosted by Dave Letele and brought to you by Fanaticals.

Surviving Sexual Abuse, Now Fighting for Reform

This week, Dave sits down with Sam Troth from ‘Road To Healing Aotearoa’ for one of the most powerful conversations we’ve had about survival, healing, and turning pain into purpose.

After experiencing sexual abuse as a child, Sam opens up about the spiral that followed — violence, addiction, prison, and years of carrying pain in silence. But instead of letting it define him, he chose to fight for others walking the same road.

Sam has now walked & cycled over 5,000kms fighting for reform. He has walked from Bluff to Cape Reinga (2,073km), cycled around the South Island (2,000km), and recently walked from Cape Reinga to Parliament (1,064km) — calling for a minimum 8-year sentence for sexual offending.

Please support Sam. One of his petitions is currently working through government:

✍️ JOIN +17,500 OTHERS — REMOVE GOOD CHARACTER REFERENCES SEXUAL OFFENDERS

SIGN HERE: https://petitions.parliament.nz/cf986021-083d-40b6-a30f-08dd63dfe70d

Massive shoutout to Sam for coming onto the podcast: https://www.instagram.com/theroadtohealingaotearoa

Let us know what you thought of the conversation in the comments!

This week, Dave sits down with Anthony Tina from Lifewise — for a powerful kōrero about rebuilding his life after homelessness, and finding meaning again.

Anthony opens up about going from hitting rock bottom, addiction and prison to finding community, connection and purpose — and why empathy matters more than judgement, when it comes to homelessness in Aotearoa.

Leading up to Lifewise’s Big Sleep Out on 25th June, we want to help raise awareness for people experiencing homelessness — so if you want to support the cause, head over to www.bigsleepout.org.nz and get involved.

This week, Dave sits down with Jenny-May — former Silver Fern, broadcaster, and one of Aotearoa’s most respected voices — for a powerful kōrero about legacy, identity, and the balance between ambition and family.

From growing up in Piopio and knowing at just 10 years old she would become a Silver Fern, to breakfast television, motherhood, and raising her own whānau — Jenny-May opens up about the pressure of chasing big goals while still being present for the people who matter most.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Dave sits down with Ladi6 — artist, storyteller, and one of Aotearoa’s most respected voices in music — for a raw kōrero about the life behind the music.

From growing up in Christchurch with social worker parents who gave everything to their community, to navigating trauma, anxiety, and learning how to separate her own identity from the stories she inherited, Ladi opens up about the work of healing and figuring out who you really are.

She shares how music became both her outlet and her purpose, and how journaling, self-reflection, and building strong boundaries helped her survive the chaos that can come with success. A powerful conversation about healing, family, and finding yourself beyond the noise.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.