Public Servants To Give Waiata Performance In Central Wellington

Nau mai, haere mai – everyone is welcome to view a performance of original and traditional waiata and waiata ringa from 12 noon on Friday 7 October at Midland Park by an interagency roopu called Ko Tāu Rourou, who will perform an emotional and rousing set to celebrate Mahuru Māori.

The interagency roopu stemmed from members of Te Konohete (a Public Sector Kapa Haka event held annually in Wellington pre-COVID-19) coming together from different government agencies to support ministerial events and help build confidence and capability in their own agency.

In 2018, Te Kawa Mataaho | Public Service Commission was one of the agencies that held annual events like Te Hāpai Hapori | Spirit of Service Awards and Te Rā Ratonga Tūmatanui | Public Service Day Awards, where members of the Ko Tāu Rourou could perform together. Former Kaihautu of Te Kawa Mataaho, Public Service Commission, Doug Hauraki, gave the interagency roopu the name Ko Tāu Rourou to signify the strength of many people working together like rourou. Nā tō rourou, nā taku rourou, ka ora ai te iwi - with your food basket and my food basket the people will thrive.

Te Puni Kōkiri members, Dee Ayers and Lave Mauga, have been instrumental in providing guidance and support to this kaupapa to a roopu of nearly 200 members.

Traditional well loved waiata such as Tūtira mai ngā iwi will feature. But also look out for some original waiata.

Danny Tahau Jobe is the composer of Maranga Mai, a waiata ringa that will feature at Friday’s performance. His waiata is a wero (challenge) and akiaki (encouragement) for everyone to speak te reo Māori.

“I was listening to the radio a few years ago and heard the kaikōrero say the language was dying. I was pretty sad about it. My koro, kuia (grandfather and grandmother) and my kaumātua (elders) were getting older, and their voices would die too! We are the carriers of their voice, the voice of our language - not just for Māori, but for everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand.

“Maranga Mai is one of two songs I wrote to encourage everyone to learn and speak te reo. The waiata is about a language calling; voices calling: arise, arise and speak this beautiful language that belongs to all of us here in Aotearoa. It’s an akiaki to join together in unison, in the spirit of those who’ve gone before us to speak our language – te reo Māori.

“No matter how much or little - kōrero! Speak it so it will survive. It really is up to us whether te reo Māori dies or survives. Imbued and endowed in our language is our culture, taonga and identity – it’s what makes us and our country unique and special.

“If te reo Māori dies, we become empty shells of a proud, unique culture that used to be. So everyone’s contribution matters, it belongs to everyone, until we don’t need waiata like my waiata anymore!”

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