September 15, 2020
Kia Mau (Ki Tō Reo Māori)’ turns 25
25 years ago, Mina & Southside of Bombay released ‘Kia Mau’. It is the first and only Māori music track to win both Mana Reo and Mana Māori awards at the New Zealand Music Awards, back in 1995.Now in 2020, Māori music producer Maaka Phat has remade ‘Kia Mau’ featuring his whānau and extended whānau on vocals. Maaka Phat says he hopes it encourages a new generation of kids.
“He waiata akiaki tēnei mō te hunga e ako ana i tō tātou reo Māori. Ahakoa te uaua, inā ka puta i ngā hapa hāere tonu, me nanga koe ki te mahia, kōrerotia tō tātou reo Māori, i ngā wā katoa i ngā wāhi katoa. Mā wai rā? Mā ngā whakatupuranga e heke mai ana, kia kore ai tō tātou reo e mimiti.”
Kia Mau (Ki Tō Reo Māori) takes us on a musical journey utilising the ‘POI’ as the main back beat. Maaka Phat says it can be surprising.
“I feature the poi by emphasising the sounds you don’t normally hear. The swish of the poi as is swings and oscillates. After a little studio wizardry I’ve been able to produce a sound not usually heard with poi. That’s the swish you can hear at the front of the track. I think it’s mean as.”
The inspiring vocals and rap feature Mina Ripia and Te Punawai Hotu on lead vocals, Uta Te Whanga rapping and Teone Hotu chanting. What makes this special for Maaka Phat is the collaboration with his whānau.
“In my lifetime I’ve seen my niece and nephew go from kohanga to kura to wharekura to Te Wānanga to Otago where they are now studying to become doctors. From Kohanga to Otago, that’s an ongoing Māori success story, i roto katoa i te reo. That’s testament to the Māori parents and communities who invest their life, time and efforts to support our taonga tuku iho.”
Maaka Phat is a NZ Music Hall of Fame inductee and internationally renowned multiple award-winning producer artists and groups such as Southside of Bombay, Dam Native, Scribe, Dallas, Upper Hutt Posse, Ranea, WAI and more. This will be his debut release as Maaka Phat.
“I’ve produced and recorded music for artists and groups since 1984 so this is huge for me to step up and out from behind the mixing desk.”
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