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Formed in 2002, Moana & The Tribe have played nearly 150 international concerts, most recently from Kanak villages in the islands of New Caledonia to sell out concerts in Vladivostok, Russia. Some of their live highlights include playing on the ancient field of Olympia (Greece), on the spiritual idyll that is Rekohu (Chatham Islands), Tollwood Festival (Germany), Etnosur Festival (Spain) and at the Gnesins Music Academy (Moscow).
"A must-see, so much to listen to and see. Astonishing, I was blown away…" - Daily News Forum, Vladivostok ( Russia), 2007
Moana Maniapoto
Ngāti Tuwharetoa / Tuhourangi / Ngāti Pikiao
“My best friend, sister and partner are all in my band and the rest are great mates. When we aren’t singing, we are usually laughing our heads off, and that is a great space to be in.” - Moana Maniapoto
From the living room of her Grey Lynn home Moana Maniapoto admits she gets more nervous singing in front of her aunties at Waitetoko marae, than the thousands she faces at the hundreds of festivals she has performed at. Moana Maniapoto says her father and his brothers provided early inspiration with their legendary combination of live performance and hospitality at the marae.
She credits her time at St Josephs Māori Girls College for honing her love of vocal harmony and performance. Moana paid her way through law school by singing covers in the highly competitive Auckland club circuit. In 1990, Moana & the Moahunters released the feminist anthem 'Black Pearl' which shot to No. 2 on the national charts, earning Moana her first gold. Since then, she has released albums 'Tahi' and 'Rua'. 2002 heralded time for a change and Moana And The Tribe was formed and have since released 'Toru' (which reached No.17 on the European World Music Charts), the DVD 'Live & Proud' and now in 2008, the latest full length album, 'Wha'.
Moana cites meeting and singing for Nelson Mandela during his Auckland visit as a personal highlight. She is a recipient of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to music and Maori, a Life Time Recipient of the Toi Iho Māori Made Mark and received the 2005 Te Tohu Mahi Hou a Te Waka Toi Award from Te Waka Toi (Creative NZ), in recognition of outstanding leadership and contribution to the development of new directions in Māori art and in 2007 was bestowed the honour of being made a New Zealand Art Laureate.
Offstage, Moana is one half of an award-winning documentary team led by her partner, producer/director Toby Mills. Their documentaries (including 'Guarding The Family Silver' / 'Up For Grabs' (2005) about intellectual and cultural property issues) has screened in theatres and at conferences around the world. Their latest documentary ‘The Island’ will be launched at the Erupt Lake Taupo Festival of Arts.
A former television and radio presenter, actor, artist and law graduate, Moana is a mother, writer, advocate and mentor. A talkback host on the very first national Maori radio station in 1990, she also hosted her own weekly night-time show on Radio Waatea and a music magazine series called Tribal Beats. Moana co-hosted a children’s live television series, Yahoo (TV3) and appeared on a weekly current affairs show The Ralston Group as a political commentator. She also acted on Shortland Street opposite Temuera Morrison.
In 2005 and 2006, she managed a national project mentoring 25 whanau to capture their unique family stories through creative genre such as writing books, producing CDs and documentaries, websites and short film scripts.
2008
- 'Wha' released May 12th 2008
- May 15 Moana And The Tribe perform for the United Nations alongside 4 other chosen artists including Bob Geldof
2007
- Moana is made a NZ Art Laureate by The Arts Foundation of New Zealand. Laureate Awards are an investment in excellence. Annually, five exceptional New Zealand artists are chosen in recognition of their artistic achievements and as a challenge to continue working at high levels. Laureate artists are selected without knowing they are under consideration by a panel of peers, who use their collective knowledge to select high performing artists as companions to the previously Awarded Laureates.
2005
- Awarded Te Tohu Mahi Hou a Te Waka Toi, in recognition of outstanding leadership and contribution to the development of new directions in Maori art.
2004
- Moana became the first non-American to win a major U.S.A based songwriting contest with her song ‘Moko’. Moana beat over 11,000 compositions to win the Grand Jury Prize of the International Songwriting Competition.
- Awarded NZ Order of Merit for services to Maori and music
- Moana made Lifetime Honorary Recipient of the Toi Iho-Maori Made Mark denoting work of high quality and authenticity
2003
- Moana & The Tribe open the premiere of Whale Rider in Germany and Australia
- Moana made member of Music Industry Export Development Group - taking NZ music international
- Moana performs for Nelson Mandela on his Auckland visit
- June - DVD Live & Proud launched in Berlin.
- Moana & The Tribe perform at the Cultural Olympiad in Greece representing New Zealand alongside representatives from 28 nations including Paco Peña (Spain) and the Shaolin Monks (China)
2002
- 'Toru' enters European World Charts at no.17
- Moana & the Tribe were formed in 2002, quickly cementing their reputation as one of the most successful indigenous groups to emerge from Aotearoa.
Pre 2002
- Moana’s former band, Moana & the Moahunters released two albums 'Tahi' and 'Rua' . They toured not only New Zealand but also took part in Womadelaide, Australia, and played the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and the Vancouver Folk Festival. Their remake of the classic ‘Black Pearl’ shot them up the New Zealand charts, earning the band their first gold single.
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