Te Wiki o te Reo Māori is a government-sponsored initiative intended to encourage New Zealanders to promote the use of the Māori language which is an official language of the country. Māori Language Week is part of a broader movement to revive the Māori language. It has been celebrated since 1975 and is currently spearheaded by Te Puni Kōkiri and the Māori Language Commission, with many organisations including schools, libraries, and government departments participating.
Traditional Māori music, or pūoro Māori, is composed or performed by Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, and includes a wide variety of folk music styles, often integrated with poetry and dance.
"Always On My Mind" is a single by the New Zealand singer Tiki Taane. It was released as the first single from Taane's first solo album, Past, Present, Future. It reached number one on the New Zealand Singles Chart.
"Don't Forget Your Roots" is a single by New Zealand rock band Six60. It was released as on 18 July 2011 as the second single from their self-titled debut studio album. It reached number 2 on the New Zealand Singles Chart.
"Woke Up Late" is a song by New Zealand band Drax Project, originally released in November 2017. It reached number 15 on the New Zealand Singles Chart and was included on their 2018 EP Noon.
Stella Rose Bennett, better known as Benee and formerly Bene, is a New Zealand singer and songwriter from Auckland. In both 2019 and 2020, she consecutively won Single of the Year, Best Solo Artist and Best Pop Artist at the New Zealand Music Awards. Benee initially gained local prominence with her singles "Glitter" and "Soaked", before her 2019 single "Supalonely" saw international popularity following its success on the video-sharing platform TikTok and YouTube. Benee subsequently released her debut album, Hey U X, in November 2020.
Waiata / Anthems is compilation album by New Zealand artists, whereby they re-record previous songs from English to Māori language. It was released in New Zealand 6 September 2019 and it debuted at number 1 on the Official New Zealand Music Chart.
"Tukituki Te Manawa" is a song by New Zealand band Drax Project, performed in Māori language. It was the band's second song released as a part of the Waiata / Anthems project, with their first being a re-release of their 2017 single "Woke Up Late" for the 2019 Waiata / Anthems compilation album. An unreleased song by the band originally written in English, "Tukituki Te Manawa" translated into Māori by Hinewehi Mohi and Sir Tīmoti Kāretu and released on Christmas Day 2020. In 2021, the song was the subject of an episode of a TVNZ OnDemand documentary series, documenting the creation of music for Waiata / Anthems.
Dame Hinewehi Mohi is a New Zealand musician and producer, best known for her double-platinum album Oceania (1999) and its lead single "Kotahitanga (Union)", performing the New Zealand National Anthem in Māori during the 1999 Rugby World Cup, and as a producer for the 2019 Māori language compilation album Waiata / Anthems.
Ka Hao is a New Zealand youth choir that formed in 2019. Coming from the Gisborne District, the group performs music in the Māori language. In 2020 the group won the Mana Reo Award at the 2020 Aotearoa Music Awards, as a part of the supergroup Mōhau. In 2021 the group released their debut single "35", which after gaining popularity through TikTok was one of the most successful songs performed in Māori during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2021.
"Pepeha" is a song by New Zealand band Six60, performed bilingually in English and Māori. "Pepeha" is the band's second song to be recorded in Te Reo Māori, and was released as a single in 2021 to coincide with Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. The song was written by Six60 band members Marlon Gerbes and Matiu Walters, alongside Te Reo experts Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper, Jeremy Tātere MacLeod and Sir Tīmoti Kāretu.
Maimoa is a New Zealand musical group. Formed from current and former presenters from the Māori Television show Pūkana, the group debuted in 2016 with the single "Maimoatia", which was released to celebrate te Wiki o te Reo Māori. Since their debut, the group has continued to release pop singles sung in te Reo Māori, including "Wairua" (2017), a viral hit produced by members of the New Zealand band Sons of Zion.
Maisey Rika is a New Zealand singer, songwriter and composer, performing in both English and Māori. Her five original albums have each reached the Top 40 in the Official New Zealand Music Chart. She was named an Arts Foundation Laureate in 2021, has received awards at the Waiata Māori Music Awards and APRA Awards, including APRA Best Māori Songwriter in 2010 and 2013, and has twice won Best Māori Language Album at the NZ Music Awards.
Rob Ruha, is a New Zealand musician from Wharekahika, Gisborne District. He debuted as a solo musician in 2013, and is known for his singles sung in te Reo Māori, including "Kalega" (2017), "Ka Mānu" (2019), "35" with Ka Hao (2021), and "Taera" (2021). Ruha worked as the music director for the Māori language version of the Walt Disney Pictures films Moana and The Lion King.
"35" is a song by New Zealand youth choir Ka Hao featuring musician Rob Ruha. "35" was the group's first single, and preceded the release of their debut album Ka Hao: One Tira, One Voice. The song, performed primarily in Māori, was a sleeper hit, first entering the New Zealand Singles Chart in Te Wiki o te Reo Māori in September 2021 and peaking at number 12 in November. "35", alongside New Zealand band Six60's song "Pepeha", are the best performing songs sung in Māori since Stan Walker's "Aotearoa" (2014).
"Matemateāone" is a song by New Zealand musician Stan Walker. A bilingual ballad sung primarily in Māori language, the song was released as a single a week before Walker's first album sung in Māori, Te Arohanui. A love ballad, the song's music video celebrates his marriage to his partner Lou Tyson.
"Taera" is a Māori language song by New Zealand musician Rob Ruha. It was released as the main single from his third studio album Preservation of Society on 8 October 2021. The song was the 7th most commercially successful song sung in Te Reo Māori for 2021.
"Ka Taria" ("Waiting") is a song by New Zealand musicians Rob Ruha and Drax Project. A song sung in Māori and English, it was released as a single during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. It was the third Drax Project song released as a part of the Waiata / Anthems project, following "I Moeroa / Woke Up Late", and Ruha's second, after "35". The song debuted at number 17 on the New Zealand Hot Singles chart, the highest position by a New Zealand artist's song that week. By the end of 2022, it was the 20th most successful Te Reo Māori song of the year in New Zealand.
Pere Te Ruru o te Ramana Wihongi, sometimes known mononymously as PERE, is a New Zealand musician, voice actor, choreographer, and kapa haka performer. He is part of the award-winning music groups Maimoa and Te Kākano.
"Love on the Run" is a song by New Zealand band Sons of Zion, performed in collaboration with singer Jackson Owens, released as a single in June 2021. In September 2021 for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, the band re-recorded the song as "He Aroha Hinemoa / Love on the Run". Both the English and Māori language versions of the song were hits in New Zealand.
