WAIATA ANTHEMS LAUNCH - SONS OF ZION, BIC RUNGA, STAN WALKER and HATEA KAPA HAKA

Celebrating Maori Language Week / Te Wiki o te Reo Maori 2019 (09 - 15 Sep) 

In 1999, singer and songwriter Hinewehi Mohi stood in front of 70,000 people at a sold-out Rugby World Cup quarter final in Twickenham and sang the words: “E Ihowā Atua…” 

Back home in New Zealand, the feedback was overwhelmingly negative and Mohi was forced to defend herself, and Te Reo Māori, in the media. This proved to be a turning point, sparking a national conversation about our cultural identity and the first language of Aotearoa New Zealand.

20 years on, she has decided to mark that anniversary not by remembering the controversy, but by celebrating how far we’ve come - the result - 11 of New Zealand’s best loved artists performing their hit songs in Te Reo Māori, as well as an acknowledgement of the events 20 years ago through a vibrant rendition of our National Anthem ‘Aotearoa / God Defend New Zealand’ by the renowned Hātea Kapa Haka.

Buy the album here