Award-winning musician, filmmaker and Wahine Toa Award recipient Te KuraHuia has unveiled her latest music video, Ms. Divine, a powerful celebration of wāhine, weaving together music, storytelling and whakapapa in a tribute to the resilience and mana of Māori women.
The release continues Te KuraHuia’s long-standing commitment to using creative expression as a vehicle for cultural storytelling, drawing on te ao Māori values while speaking to contemporary audiences through music and visual art.
At the heart of Ms. Divine is the recognition that wāhine have always been central to the strength of whānau, hapū and iwi. The project explores themes of identity, ancestral connection and the enduring influence of Māori women across generations, reinforcing the idea that whakapapa is not simply a record of lineage but a living source of strength, belonging and purpose.
Through cinematic visuals and original music, the production reflects the many roles wāhine play as leaders, nurturers, protectors, artists and knowledge holders. Rather than focusing on a single narrative, the work embraces the diversity of Māori womanhood while acknowledging the shared experiences that connect generations.
Te KuraHuia has built a reputation for creating work that sits at the intersection of music, film and kaupapa Māori. Her productions often explore identity, language revitalisation and Indigenous storytelling, using contemporary media to preserve and celebrate mātauranga Māori while engaging younger audiences.
As both a filmmaker and musician, she has consistently sought to create space for authentic Māori voices, ensuring stories are told through a lens grounded in whakapapa and lived experience rather than external interpretation.
The release of Ms. Divine also reflects the growing influence of Māori creatives within Aotearoa’s arts sector, where music and visual storytelling are increasingly being used to strengthen cultural identity and encourage conversations about the place of wāhine in contemporary society.
For many Māori artists, creative works are more than entertainment—they are expressions of whakapapa, acts of cultural preservation and opportunities to inspire future generations to embrace their identity with confidence.
Te KuraHuia says Ms. Divine is ultimately a celebration of wāhine in all their forms, recognising their leadership, resilience and enduring contribution to whānau and communities throughout Aotearoa.
As Indigenous storytelling continues to gain international recognition, works such as Ms. Divine demonstrate how Māori artists are using creativity to honour the past while inspiring the future, ensuring the stories, strength and voices of wāhine continue to resonate for generations to come.
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