August 27, 2012
Waiata Magazine Issue 3
The voice behind the opening ceremony of the Rugby World Cup, Ria Hall, and the woman behind the international Barefoot
Divas are two of the features in the latest issue of Waiata magazine, released nationwide this week.
It has been almost a year since Hall made her World Cup debut performance in Auckland and she speaks to Waiata about the opportunities which have come as a result of the opening ceremony.
“After the opening ceremony my email, phone and Facebook, all means of contact with me, just went completely off the
hook. It has certainly extended my contact and friends network and I’m really grateful of the recognition,” Hall says in
the magazine.
“I learnt a lot from that experience, I learnt how to become fearless, which is what I was on the night. It was a big
occasion but being fearless gave the extra confidence I needed.”
Australian Vicki Gordon is the force behind the Barefoot Divas, a group bringing together indigenous female singers and
songwriters from Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
Gordon speaks about her whakapapa connections with Ngati Kahungunu and plans to take her unique group of divas to
audiences in the Americas and Europe.
“Barefoot Divas represents the full circle for me, my commitment to women in the music industry and my life’s work to
date. It is the most challenging and the most exciting project I have initiated,” she says.
The third issue of Waiata also introduces some of the nominated award winners to be recognized at this year’s National Waiata Maori Music Awards,
to be held at the Hawke’s Bay Opera House in Hastings on September 14.
It includes stories on musician and producer Billy Karaitiana, composer the late Te Aritaua Pitama, music educators and
taonga puoro (traditional Maori instrument) specialists, the late Dr Hirini Melbourne and Richard Nunns.
Warren Maxwell (Trinity Roots, Little Bushman) talks about helping inmates find their musical feet while Eli Paewai from
Six60 speaks on the success of the band’s debute labum.
Waiata editor Tama Huata said there were also stories on this year’s finalists, including pop singer Seth Haapu, Hamilton band
Knights of the Dub Table, Maori song writer Huia Hamon, Wellington singer Kirsten Te Rito and a group which combines
traditional Maori instruments and modern electronica, Nga Tae.
The magazine was distributed through Rockshop music shops around New Zealand, the iwi radio station network, kura
kaupapa schools and iwi offices.
For more information visit www.waiatamaoriawards.co.nz
ENDS