Māori music recognised in NZ awards

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New Zealand’s second Māori Music Awards have produced some promising and high profile winners including Maisey Rika, the female vocalist who performed in New Zealand’s Giant Rugby Ball in Tokyo recently. Maisey, from Whakatane in the Bay of Plenty, won the 'Best Female Solo Artist' award for her album Tohu. She was also a finalist in the 'Best Māori Songwriter' category which was won by the well known New Zealand hip-hop / R&B group, 'Nesian Mystik'.

 

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Prestigious awards

The Waiata Māori Music Awards acknowledge all Māori music industry professionals including composers and artists. The ceremony held in the Hawkes Bay Opera House in Hastings, featured performances by winners, and current and past finalists.

Organisers say the mission is to acknowledge and honour the keepers, teachers, promoters, creators and performers of Māori music.

They also want to continue to develop and promote the diversity of all Māori music, recognise the unique vision of Māori composers and musicians and enrich their cultural voice.

Nesian Mystik
The New Zealand hip-hop / R&B group Nesian Mystik which brings together Māori, Tongan, Samoan and Cook Island ancestry, featured strongly at the awards.

The group won four major awards with their album Elevator Musiq - including ‘Best Māori Urban Artist or Artists’, ‘Best Māori Pop Artist or Artists’, ‘Best Māori Songwriter’, and ‘Best Māori Song’.

Nesian Mystik has produced ten Top 10 hit singles - the most in New Zealand history - as well as three Top 20 albums, one multi-platinum album and two gold-selling albums. They write and produce all their own material and have won several major awards including two NZ Tuis, and were named 'Entertainers of the Year'.

Hotels in Neuseeland 

Maisey Rika
Since the age of 13, Maisey Rika has been singing at a professional level. Her first recording of the traditional Māori song E Hine went double platinum and also won 'Best Māori Language Album’ at the New Zealand Music Awards. 

Maisey was also nominated for 'Best Female vocalist' in 1998, at just 15 years of age. 

Her spine-tingling vocals and fusion of English and Māori lyrics has brought international recognition and - with guitarist J J - Maisey has created an original sound, sometimes described as a mix of folk, acoustic and soul.

As well as performing at the Rugby Ball in Tokyo, 2009 has been a busy year for Maisey - with recordings, tours, making music videos and being finalist for three music awards - the APRA ‘Majoha’ award, and the two Māori Music awards.

Other Māori Music Award winners
'Best Māori Male Solo Artist' 2009 was won by Hamilton-born Leon Wharekura with It's A Love Thing.  

'Radio Airplay Record of the Year by a Māori Artist' was Always on my mind from the album ‘Past Present Future’ by Tiki Taane.

Radio Airplay Record of the Year by a Māori Artist in Te Reo was '12 : 24' by artist Ruia Aperahama, with the song Rere Reta Rere Reta.

The ‘Keeper of Traditions’ award went to the late Kohine Te Whakarua Ponika; 'Lifetime Contribution to Māori Music' was awarded to Morvin Simon; 'Music Industry Award (Contemporary)' was won by ‘HERBS’, and the 'Music Industry Award (Traditional)' was awarded to the Patea Māori Club.

'Iconic Māori Music Composer’s Award - Historical' was won by the late Sir Apirana Turupa Ngata.

Music is a vital part of the Māori culture, and kapa haka or performing arts is an intrinsic element in the New Zealand cultural experience.

More information: Māori music and Māori performing arts

Foto-Credit: Carved Maori Figure - U'mista Cultural Centre, Quelle: Flickr, iwona_kellie