Music Industry News

This week marks the beginning of Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori (14 – 20 September 2025), which this year celebrates its 50th anniversary with the theme ‘Ake Ake Ake – A Forever Language’. In support of this kaupapa with Te Taura Whiri i Te Reo Māori, the Waiata Anthems team are today launching the ‘Waiata in Our Whare’ campaign, which aims to highlight whānau from all walks of life, and the unique ways they bring waiata Māori into their hearts and homes.

The Waiata Anthems movement salutes the champions of te reo Māori through waiata, to inspire and excite the nation, providing greater access to the language and culture, for all of Aotearoa. Whereas their mahi typically sees the celebration of artists who create this waiata, the ‘Waiata in Our Whare’ campaign shifts the focus to everyday New Zealanders who live, love and use waiata Māori.

Throughout Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, Waiata Anthems will be releasing a range of shortform video content across social media, celebrating waiata in everyday environments – from whare kāinga (homes) to whare mahi (workplaces), whare kai (restaurants), and whare ako (learning spaces).

This campaign will showcase people from a variety of backgrounds and communities to reflect the diverse makeup of Aotearoa, from new learners of te reo, to fluent speakers, Māori and non-Māori. These authentic real-world snapshots aims to inspire New Zealanders across Aotearoa to celebrate, share, and make waiata Māori a part of their own everyday lives.

“Waiata is one of the easiest and fun ways to access and learn te reo Māori, and to take with us wherever we are in the world” shares Dame Hinewehi Mohi, founder of Waiata Anthems. “Through repetition, melody, and emotional connection, waiata helps people of all backgrounds grow their understanding of te reo Māori and strengthen their connection to the culture”.

“For Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2025, our goal is to highlight the many ways waiata Māori lives in our world today, reinforcing that it’s not just entertainment, it’s a living, breathing vehicle for te reo and cultural connection. We want to show the real-world impact and significance waiata has in our communities and how naturally waiata Māori weaves into our daily lives. Waiata Māori is truly for everyone.”

With a wealth of new and classic waiata Māori available on streaming services, it’s never been easier to enjoy waiata wherever you are. We recommend:
– Waiata Anthems – Almost 300 waiata Māori from a range of well-known artists, such as Six60, Marlon Williams, Lorde, Troy Kingi, Stan Walker, Jordyn With A Why, MOHI and many, many more. Available on Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal and YouTube.
– Aotearoa Songbook – 22 classic waiata Māori, celebrating and preserving our rich cultural heritage. Available on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube.

To share how your whare, workplace or whānau are celebrating Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori with waiata, please tag @WaiataAnthems or @reomaori on Instagram.

Check out all things Waiata Anthems below:
Website
Instagram
Facebook

Check out all things Te Wiki o te Reo Māori below:
Website
Instagram
Facebook

Our Songs. Our Waiata. Our Movement.
Waiata Anthems is a movement instrumental in the massive groundswell of streaming and broadcasting waiata reo Māori.
Since its inception in 2019, Waiata Anthems has celebrated and encouraged the revitalisation of te reo Māori at scale. Over one hundred new waiata and creative lyric music videos have been supported, produced and released alongside powerful documentary stories, each sharing personal stories of disconnection, reclamation and courage through waiata reo Māori. The power of waiata is transforming artists and audiences as our nation’s airwaves and digital music platforms resonate with the vibrant sound of new waiata and bilingual music.