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Music News - Troy Kingi: 'Maumaharatia'/'Lest We Forget' – EP track re-released in te reo Maori

Troy Kingi: 'Maumaharatia'/'Lest We Forget' – EP track re-released in te reo Maori

25 April 2019 - 0 Comments

Six-years after the release of his soulful tribute to the ANZACs as part of his eponymous debut EP, multi-award-winning singer-songwriter Troy Kingi (Te Arawa, Nga Puhi and Te Whanau-a-Apanui) has re-released the track in te reo Maori – his first waiata Maori release.

Maumaharatia, the Māori edition of Lest We Forget, was translated by Dunedin-based Nga Tohu Reo Maori award-winning couple Paulette Tamati-Elliffe and Komene Cassidy – the first South Islanders to win the prestigious award from the Maori Language Commission for Te Tira Aumangea (being ambassadors). The pair are graduates of Te Panekiretanga o Te Reo Maori (Institute of Excellence in the Maori Language) run by tertiary provider Te Wananga o Aotearoa.

Kingi, who is fluent in te reo Maori, recalls being asked some identity-searching questions by RNZ Music at the 2017 Waiata Maori Music Awards, namely: what is waiata Maori, and should the awards make a distinction between Maori artists who sing and write waiata Maori and those whose material is in English.

At the time, Kingi noted that he hadn't got to the stage of singing in te reo yet, but believed that:

"...it's about having that spirit or wairua in your music. Even though Maori artists aren’t singing in te reo you can still feel the Maori essence in what they are doing.”

While that belief continues to hold true for Kingi, he is pleased to begin his waiata Maori journey with Maumaharatia, in the time-honoured tradition of great music being translated into te reo Maori and as a nod to the more recent Maori translations of iconic Kiwi songs, such as Nau Mai Ra by Dave Dobbyn, Stan Walker's version of Crowded House's Don't Dream It's Over and Modern Maori Quartet's cover of Royals (aka Kahu) by Lorde.

Kingi says:

"This track is dedicated to all those who have gone before us, making the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom."

All proceeds from Kingi's Bandcamp sales of Maumaharatia will be donated to Amnesty International, to further their work in peace.

Kingi aspires to release a full album in te reo Maori in future; his third album, Holy Colony Burning Acres, is scheduled for release in mid-2019.

Kingi is managed by Auckland-based arts management and producing agency Square Sums & Co and is grateful to be working with AllGood Absolute Alternative Records, Wonderful Noise Productions (Japan), JPRO/JPROSHOP and Native Tongue Music Publishing as creative industry partners.


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