Music Industry News

Project Mauri Ora kicks off this NZ Music Month with wānanga in Ōtautahi (Friday 17 May) and Pōneke (Thursday 23 May) to explore important kōrero on preventing and responding to sexual harm in our community from a Te Ao Māori lens. These wānanga are Māori-led, and offer a safe space for tangata whenua to come together in our approach to solving these problems and supporting each other.

The Māori Music Industry Coalition (MMIC) and SoundCheck Aotearoa (SCA) proudly announce a new wānanga program with the goal to bring tangata whenua of the music community together to discuss preventing and responding safely to sexual harm in the community.

Developed and run by an all-Māori team, Project Mauri Ora will deliver a number of wānanga throughout Aotearoa in May and June 2024.

The wānanga is based from two unique learning models; a Te Ao Māori learning model developed by Korowai Tūmanako and SoundCheck Aotearoa’s Professional Respect Training program. Steeped in Te Ao Māori, weaving matauranga Māori and lived experiences into the kōrero and learning, this wānanga is designed to be a mana-enhancing experience for attendees to explore this topic in a culturally safe space.

Project Mauri Ora is led by the Māori Music Industry Coalition with support from SoundCheck Aotearoa. The team delivering Project Mauri Ora is led by Ninakaye Taane-Tinorau (Ngāti Maniapoto), and consists of Whaea Joy Te Wiata (Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga) and Matua Russell Smith (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu) of Korowai Tūmanako, with Wairere Iti (Tūhoe), Anna Loveys (Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga), Sarah Owen (Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata), and Matutaera Herangi (Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Mahanga).

Wānanga dates for 2024
Friday 17 May, 9am-4pm – Ōtautahi
Thursday 23 May, 9am-4pm – Te Whanganui a Tara
Thursday 20 June, 9am-4pm – Tāmaki Makaurau or Waikato TBC

All wānanga are free to attend and available to all tangata whenua in the Aotearoa music community. These days are fully catered with breaks throughout the wānanga for kai, rest and connection. Read more about Project Mauri Ora here.

Register for the Project Mauri Ora wānanga here.

Meet the Team

Ninakaye Taane-Tinorau (Ngāti Maniapoto)
Ninakaye is older sister and artist manager to the legendary Tiki Taane, as well as Managing Director of Tikidub Productions. Ninakaye is a kaitiaki for the Māori Music Industry Coalition, a board member for SoundCheck Aotearoa, and a board member and mentor to self-managed artists and managers at the Music Managers Forum Aotearoa (MMF). Her deep wealth of experience provides grounding for young people starting out and growing in their work across the music community. Alongside Ninakaye’s work in the music community, Ninakaye is a Harmful Sexual Behaviour Specialist, working for Whaea Joy and Matua Russell at Korowai Tūmanako.

Joy Te Wiata (Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga)
Joy has played an integral role in developing clinical work in the harmful sexual behaviour sector, specifically where it concerns our people. She is co-director and co-founder of Korowai Tūmanako, and has worked for a number of social service providers including Ngati Raukawa Social Services and Toiora Whanau. With a Masters in Counselling (First Class) and a special focus in domestic violence, Joy developed a therapeutic programme for the Department of Courts, addressing the needs of wāhine survivors of violence. Additionally Whaea has provided counselling and mediation services to the Family Court. As a Harm Sexual Behaviour (HSB) Specialist Clinician, Joy has over 17 years experience co-leading a team of Māori clinical practitioners to provide therapeutic services for tamariki and rangatahi with harmful sexual behaviours, and for tāne and wāhine who have sexually offended against children.

Russell Smith (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu)
Russell is co-director and co-founder of Korowai Tūmanako with Joy Te Wiata, and a Harmful Sexual Behaviour Specialist Clinician with over 20 years experience co-leading a clinical team providing therapeutic services for tamariki and rangatahi with harmful sexual behaviours, and for adults who have offended against children. Russell has worked in Adolescent Mental Health, Child Youth and Family Services, NZPARS residential Montgomery House Program, Domestic Violence Centre (now known as SHINE), and Te Whānau Rataroa Social Services, and brings a wealth of experience in private practice working with adult offenders as well as survivors of sexual and domestic violence. Additionally, Russell led an 18-month consultation project that led to the inception of the Tiaki Tinana project, and completed multiple research projects for Rape Prevention Education.

Wairere Iti (Tūhoe)
Wairere is a force of nature within the Aotearoa music community, known for his love of technology and agile working style, which he brings to all facets of his mahitahi. When he isn’t with his whānau, or helping his Papa Tame Iti actualize protests and artistic kaupapa around the motu, Wairere is a kaitiaki for the Māori Music Industry Coalition, a board member for SoundCheck Aotearoa, Operations Manager for SoundSplash music festival, and a Tour Manager, where he has looked after a number of artists including most recently, Teeks and Avantdale Bowling Club.

Anna Loveys (Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga)
Anna is Kaitiaki for SoundCheck Aotearoa, overseeing the build of programs, day-to-day operations, and mahitahi between SoundCheck Aotearoa and fellow community groups. Anna grew up in Aotearoa’s music community, adopting many kaumatua and whānau along the way, working in a number of artist support roles. Anna has previously worked for record labels including Sony Music, Big Pop Group, and Flying Nun Records, and was Publicist to Teeks, Stan Walker, Sons of Zion, Paige, and others. Growing up with lots of music in her house, Anna has a special interest in the whakapapa of the Aotearoa music community, and the learnings from previous generations to take into the future.

Sarah Owen (Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata)
Sarah Owen is a navigator by nature and a driving force on kaupapa she works across in the music community. Sarah is a kaitiaki for the Māori Music Industry Coalition alongside Ninakaye and Wairere. Over the last decade, Sarah has delivered the Aotearoa Music Awards, overseeing the entire operation including the recent rebranding, and served as Kairangaranga for Recorded Music New Zealand. Additionally Sarah continues to serve as a long-time committee member for Music Managers Forum Aotearoa (MMF) and can often be seen with the Owen/Leota whānau bringing events and special kaupapa to life for our community.

This program was made with funding and support by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage with specialist guidance, knowledge and integral input from Whaea Joy Te Wiata and Matua Russell Smith of Korowai Tūmanako.