September 07, 2016
Waiata awards encourage Maori talent
Maori talent is being showcased this Friday at the ninth Waiata Maori Music Awards at the Hastings Sports Centre.
Ellison Huata, who picked up the task of organising the annual event after the death of her father Tama Huata, says innovations to the kaupapa this year included the nurturing of emerging talent through Maori Music Month in August.
Now it’s time to pick the best on offer over the past year and celebrate their success.
What’s particularly gratifying is the way waiata Maori were specially composed for not just Maori Language Week but also for mainstream initiatives like New Zealand’s efforts at the Rio Olympics.
"It’s quite an inspiring thing for our rangatahi to be able to say it is cool to be able to sing our waiata in our language. It is a natural talent a lot of our people have so it is embracing that, with all the talent coming through," Ms Huata says.
Before the evening awards showcase there’s a free Maori Music Expo from 9am at the Hawke’s Bay Opera House Plaza featuring workshops on taonga puoro, vocal technique, composition and turntablism.
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