Kei Wareware I A Tātou has scored big at Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga. The song helped Nelson-based group Te Kuru Marutea win The Kohine Ponika ‘Aku Mahi’ Memorial People’s Choice award and has gone viral on social media.
Composed by northern songwriters Makere Ngaropo Hati and Charlton Te Wake Matthews, the duo is overwhelmed by the song’s success and the global attention it has garnered.
Makere revealed that the song was composed to help her community of Panguru and surrounding settlements cope with a series of tangi they endured in a short period of time.
“I tito māua ko Charlton i tēnei waiata i te tau rua mano tekau mā whitu. Koiā te tau i mate tō tātou matua pirihi a Pā Henare Tate. Whai muri ake i tēnā, he rau kauri ka hinga ki ngā takiwā o te whā, rima marama he mate ia wiki, etahi wiki e rua, etahi wiki e toru.”
“Ka mutu, ka tae ki te mutunga o taua tau rua mano tekau mā whitu, i reira tonu taua kapua o te pōuritanga ki runga i ngā pā kāinga mai i Mitimiti ki Motutī.”
The waiata, now made famous by Te Kuru Marutea from Te Tauihu at Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga, has been viewed millions of times on social media. Both Makere and Charlton are elated at the song’s success and at Te Kuru Marutea’s rendition.
“I taku rongo tuatahi i te waiata rā, tōiriiri marika ngā kare-ā-roto. Whakamīharo atu ana ki te rōpū, te miharo ki ngā kaiwaiata e rua, ngā wahine, ngā reo rōreka.”
Matatini People’s choice first recepients.Te Kuru Marutea (Te Tauihu o Te Waka a Māui) are the first recipients for the Kohine Ponika ‘Aku Mahi’ Memorial trophy - the people’s choice award. They received over 4,100 votes for their waiata tira which was gifted and composed by Latoya Leef-Graham, Charlton Te Wake-Matthews and Margaret Ngaropo Hati from Panguru. This is also Te Kuru Marutea’s first stand at Te Matatini. Our reporter, Shakayla Andrews-Alapaki caught up with the kapa while they celebrate at McDonalds. #tematatini #tekurumarutea #kapahaka #tewaipounamu #peopleschoice
Posted by Tahu News on Friday, February 28, 2025
Te reanga tito waiata hou
Hei tā Mākere, nā ngā titonga a tōna tupuna whāea i pakari ake ai ana mahi tito waiata. He rite tonu tana whai i tēnā o tōna tupuna, kia whakaputa waiata hei kawe i ngā kōrero o tōna takiwā.
“Ko taku karani māmā i ōna wā, ko ia te kaiako kapa haka ki te Kaweneti o Hāto Hōhepa ki Whakarapa, ka mutu, he tohunga piana.”
Ināianei, kei te aro te tokorua nei ki ngā kaupapa haka o te rohe. Kua hoki anō rāua ki te tito hei whakarite ake i ngā iwi kāinga mo ngā kaupapa ka tū hei ngā marama e tū mai nei.
Ko te whāinga matua, kia mōhio ai te kaiwhakarongo ki ngā kōrero tuku iho o te takiwā o Panguru, o Hokianga mā roto i ngā titonga waiata.
