Te Mahi Tamariki

This initiative started in 2017, initially though funding from Te Pūtahitanga for a waiata Māori composition workshop. After a successful application to Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori it grew into composing and recording a bilingual album with waiata as a positive outlet for expression that are relevant to life issues rakatahi are facing. We worked with Māori musicians and actors Troy Kingi (NZ Artist), Maaka Pohatu (Modern Māori Quartet) and alongside our local Māori musicians, Waiariki Taiapa-Parata, Komene Cassidy and Paulette Tamati-Elliffe. 2017 saw the completion of the compositions and preparation to record.

The name ‘Te Mahi Tamariki’ was the name of the first whare rūnanga at Ōtākou Marae, which was ercted in 1874. It was built to house the meetings of the hapū at Ōtākou as they sought redress from the early breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Te Mahi Tamariki means, ‘the work of the children’, and was so named as it was expected that this fight, the Māori at Ōtākou had entered with the new settler government, would take generations and it was for the new generation to carry that fight on. In the late 1920s that house fell into disrepair and the idea for a new Wharenui was born. The new whare Tamatea, stands where Te Mahi Tamariki once did, was opened in 1946, and is still used today.

We decided to name the album ‘Te Mahi Tamariki’ to honour the history of that original house and to acknowledge that the ‘fight’ for this new generation has not changed, other than now, the Māori language is added to the other issues of land and water rights.

Recording Backing Tracks Februay 23-25

Led by Lee Prebble (Dr. Lee) from Studio Surgery in Wellington, Mara TK and Troy Kingi supported by a couple of our rakatahi, Tūmai Cassidy and Taina Te Ngahue the backing tracks to the 15 songs which had been completed enough to get through to this stage, were recorded.

Voice Recording January 28-31

We decided the best place to record would be inside Tamatea. We constructed a recording booth out of mattresses. We employed the services of sound engineer Danny Buchanan and Troy directed our vocal talent. In three days of pretty intense mahi we had completed the vocal recordings of all 15 waiata.

Mixing and Mastering

Lee and Mara edited, mixed and mastered the the tracks to prepare for release.

Te Mahi Tamariki Album Pre-release - July 13

We organised a concert to celebrate the completion of the masters. We brought

together all of the artists and their families, all of those who had supported the recording and mastering of the album. Troy, Mara and local musician Rapture Latu formed the rhythm section and played the backing tracks for the artists to sing over. It was a fantastic night, enjoyed by all. He Waka Kōtuia also performed the group songs that are on the album.

Album Release

In order to release the album proper, we are waiting to negotiate with a record label. Once the negotiations are completed the album will initially be released to all digital platforms, Spotify, Apple Music, and Bandcamp.