Music Commission News

Waiata Anthems Week 2022 will see 30 of Aotearoa’s finest artists releasing brand new waiata reo Māori, a second season of the Waiata Anthems documentary series, and a wero to us all to take part in a ‘champions of te reo Māori’ campaign via waiata, this September.

Inspiration for 2022

Waiata Anthems co-founder, Dame Hinewehi Mohi, says the kaupapa continues to be inspired by the many milestones we celebrate in 2022 – including 40 years of Kohanga Reo, 40 years of Te Karere, 50 years of Te Matatini, and 50 years since the Māori Language Petition was presented to Parliament calling for greater recognition of te reo Māori.

“The Waiata Anthems movement salutes these champions of te reo Māori, and the legacy of waiata, to inspire and excite the nation, providing greater access to the language and culture – for all New Zealanders.”

“Our hope is that, no matter where you are on your reo journey, you’ll feel empowered to become a champion of te reo Māori through waiata.”

Sir Tīmoti Kāretu, the country’s first Māori language Commissioner, Petition signatory, OG of kapa haka competition, and mentor for Waiata Anthems, says that waiata provides “the perfect vehicle for the language and culture, instilled in us by our old people, as a way of connecting with each other and in reflecting our world view, in its purest form”.

Since its inception in 2019, the Waiata Anthems movement has supported the production and release of 100 new waiata, instrumental in the massive ground swell of streaming and broadcast of waiata reo Māori.

“Fifty years ago, it was unthinkable that waiata reo Māori could reach the hearts and minds, radios, phones and devices of so many. Today as a nation, we can reflect on our past and look to a bright future where te reo Māori in popular music is accessible to everybody”. We hope these waiata become the soundtrack to our daily lives – a way to celebrate the big and small moments,” says Dame Hinewehi.

The 2022 Line up

Artists and releases featured in this year’s Waiata Anthems Week are:

ROB RUHA – COTERIE – LADI6 – DRAX PROJECT – JACKSON OWENS – SOL3 MIO – VALKYRIE YAHYAH – RORY NOBLE – DILLASTRATE – HĀNI DREAD – GOLDSMITH & BAYNES – RIIKI REID PACIFIC HEIGHTS FT. STAN WALKER & CRETE – AOTEAROA ALLSTARS – HUIA – PAPA’S PACK ORIGIN ROOTS AOTEAROA – CHAD CHAMBERS – RIA HALL – MAZBOU Q – GEORGIA LINES CHEY MILNE – IA – REI

Artists and releases featured in the Waiata Anthems documentary series on TVNZ+ LORDE – TIM FINN – KORA – BARNABY WEIR – MIKEY DAM – PAIGE

Rounding out a cross-genre representation of some of Aotearoa’s most inspiring musicians.

The new recordings will be available on all digital platforms from Friday 2nd September and the Waiata Anthems documentary series launches on TVNZ+ on Monday 5th September.

A Wero to the People

The Waiata Anthems Week releases will coincide with a social media wero / challenge to celebrate and encourage the revitalisation of te reo Māori at scale.

For all of Mahuru Māori / September, using the hashtag #WaiataAnthems, the people of Aotearoa are invited to share on social media how they incorporate waiata into their everyday lives – whether by playing, streaming or buying waiata, singing along, or sharing it with others, we’re on a mission to shape a reo revolution to captivate the nation, and to take it to the world.

Waiata Anthems Week 5-11 September, leads into Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, and the 50th anniversary of the Māori Language Petition on the 14th. To listen to the music, link to the doco series, and find out more about how you can become a champion of te reo Māori in September, go to www.waiataanthems.co.nz