Waiata Maori Awards 2010

PRESS RELEASE
September 17, 2010

Waiata Maori Awards 2010

The 2010 Waiata Maori Awards will be broadcast on Maori Television this Saturday from 9.20pm to 11pm.

STORY 1: Award winner pays tribute to former principal

Maisey Rika has paid tribute to her former St Josephs Maori Girls’ College principal after winning half of the eight titles on offer at this year’s Waiata Maori Awards.

Rika, 27, from Whakatane, performed with her brother JJ at the awards which was held Hawke’s Bay Opera House in Hastings on Friday.

She returned four more times to the stage to collect her trophies and had to ask JJ to help hold the prized items as people snapped photos.

Hastings-based Radio Kahungunu broadcast the awards to the rest of the country and interviewed some of the stars at the post function at the Opera House Plaza.

Among them was Kiwi rocker Mark Williams, the awards ambassador Taisha Tari, Maori showband stalwart Nuki Waaka and the big winner of the night, Rika.

Speaking in Maori, Rika said she was “shocked and honoured” to be recognised for the hard work she and her support team had put in over the years.

She attended Hato Hohepa College in Taradale for five years during the late 1990s and said the school was where her singing career began under the guidance and influence of principal Georgina Kingi.

Rika said it was appropriate for the awards to be held in Hawke’s Bay, close to the famous college headed by Ms Kingi and where her career started.

Among her titles she was announced as the winner of Best Maori Female Solo Artist, Best Maori Pop Album, Best Maori Song and Best Maori Songwriter.

And it was her childhood in Whakatane which influenced and inspired her ability as a songwriter. Her songs all have a Maori influence, outlook and spirit, whether they be written in English or Maori.

Rika said she wanted to share her success with the others at the awards, suggesting Maori artists, Maori songs and Maori composers were all winners on the night.

Awards executive director Tama Huata said he was already trying to lock in artists to perform at the 2011 event, which will again be held in Hawke’s Bay.

“I’ve been getting some emails from the artists and they’re thrilled about being part of the event and we’re looking ahead to next year now,” he said.

Mr Huata said attendance figures were up on last year, which bodes well for the event’s future as there had been talk of shifting it to the bigger city venues.

He said 2011 would include plans to hold the National Maori Music Awards as part of the international Takitimu Festival, which was held in Hastings in 2008.

Mr Huata said he would also like to work both events into the Hawke’s Bay festival being planned as part of the Rugby World Cup next year.

STORY 2: Mark Williams and Taisha Tari at the post awards function

Sydney-based singer Mark Williams couldn’t get enough of this year’s National Waiata Maori Awards.

The veteran performer arrived from Sydney to attend the Te Koanga Fashion Show on Thursday night and was one of the guest speakers at the Artists Forum held at the Maori Music Expo on Friday.

Both events were held to support the awards night, where Williams performed his hit single from 1990, Show No Mercy.

“It seemed a long way to come for a short time so it was a case of building up the energy to sing at the awards and then at the end of the sing I started to wish I could do more, it was fantastic,” he said.

Williams tutors singers, 17 to 21 years of age, in Sydney during the week and then performs at gigs during the weekends. There were “one of two” young performers he spotted at the awards which he’d like to see spread their wings internationally.

“What I’ve learnt is that you always look at the world (as a goal) and not just Aotearoa, it’s about the world of music. I still do that now and it’s the most important thing for me all of my life,” he said.

The Waiata Maori Awards ambassador Taisha Tari, who grew up in Napier, said the tribute to the Maori showband era was an inspiring feature of this year’s event.

She attended the Maori Music Breakfast on Friday where the keynote speaker was Nuki Waaka, the co-founder of the Maori Volcanics, who received the Maori Music Industry Award for his contribution to the industry.

“His story was so inspiring, the things he achieved, those guys in the showbands were amazing and worked under a completely different kind of discipline.

“It’s very important to look at the past because that’s where all the knowledge comes from,” she said.

It mixed in well with the number of young performers coming through, such as Maisey Rika, Pieter T and Tyna Keelan.

“We have so much talent coming through and I’m just so excited, I’m blown away by tonight (the awards) and look forward to next year,” she said.
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