Latest news with #TeTaiao
Scoop
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Aro's ‘Te Karanga' – A New Song For A New Season
Press Release – Cheree Ridder Unlike Aros earlier concept albums, often grounded in months of research into Te Taiao, this waiata poured out in an evening raw, real, and deeply reflective of their lived experience. Award-winning Aotearoa duo Aro are embracing a new season of life and releasing a powerful new waiata to match, Te Karanga – Out May 23rd. This Easter, Charles and Emily Looker (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Te Ata Waiohua, Ngāti Mutunga), along with their two tamariki, packed up their Pukekohe home, moved their life into a custom-fitted Rugged Kiwi caravan, and hit the road to live a life centred around whānau, community, bicultural connection, and legacy. It's a bold lifestyle shift that mirrors the heart behind Te Karanga, their hopeful new waiata. 'We should always find a way, when love calls — Karanga mai…' Written in late 2024 after an unforgettable live set with TONES, Te Karanga captures a deeply personal moment for the duo — a call to respond to aroha, to move forward with hope, even when the path is uncertain. Unlike Aro's earlier concept albums, often grounded in months of research into Te Taiao, this waiata poured out in an evening — raw, real, and deeply reflective of their lived experience. Musically, Te Karanga weaves Aro's signature bilingual artistry with an expansive, soulful sound, powered by the gospel energy of House of Misfits. Recorded, mixed, mastered and produced by talented Scott Seabright in Onewhero and at Auckland's Lab Studio, it offers rich harmonies, irresistible groove, and the emotional authenticity that has earned Aro critical acclaim and public love — including most recently the, 2024 Waiata Māori Music Award for Best Pop Album. In every way, Te Karanga is more than just a song. It's a reflection of Aro's kaupapa: to live with hope, to move with aroha, and to leave a legacy that calls others forward. The song's spirit is beautifully captured in its accompanying lyric video and its behind the scenes live recording video, with the former filmed by whanaunga Maioro Taylor (Ngāti Te Ata Waiohua) on Āwhitu Peninsula. It follows Emily and Charles walking a long road toward a small chapel — a visual metaphor for answering the call of aroha, carrying hope forward, and trusting in the journey. The release of Te Karanga also follows a major milestone for Charles, who earlier this year stood with Muriwhenua to perform at Te Matatini 2025, reaffirming Aro's deep commitment to uplifting te ao Māori through music, kaupapa, and action. With their lives now woven into the land and its people in a new way, Aro are working towards their third full-length album, due for release in Autumn 2026 (supported by Te Māngai Paho), drawing inspiration from their adventures, their whānau life on the road, and their continued work delivering storytelling and songwriting workshops in kura across Aotearoa ( thanks to the NZ Music Commission). Te Karanga is released on May 23rd, 2025, with thanks to Te Māngai Paho and NZ On Air through Waiata Takitahi.
Scoop
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Aro's ‘Te Karanga' - A New Song For A New Season
Award-winning Aotearoa duo Aro are embracing a new season of life and releasing a powerful new waiata to match, Te Karanga - Out May 23rd. This Easter, Charles and Emily Looker (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Te Ata Waiohua, Ngāti Mutunga), along with their two tamariki, packed up their Pukekohe home, moved their life into a custom-fitted Rugged Kiwi caravan, and hit the road to live a life centred around whānau, community, bicultural connection, and legacy. It's a bold lifestyle shift that mirrors the heart behind Te Karanga, their hopeful new waiata. "We should always find a way, when love calls — Karanga mai..." Written in late 2024 after an unforgettable live set with TONES, Te Karanga captures a deeply personal moment for the duo — a call to respond to aroha, to move forward with hope, even when the path is uncertain. Unlike Aro's earlier concept albums, often grounded in months of research into Te Taiao, this waiata poured out in an evening — raw, real, and deeply reflective of their lived experience. Musically, Te Karanga weaves Aro's signature bilingual artistry with an expansive, soulful sound, powered by the gospel energy of House of Misfits. Recorded, mixed, mastered and produced by talented Scott Seabright in Onewhero and at Auckland's Lab Studio, it offers rich harmonies, irresistible groove, and the emotional authenticity that has earned Aro critical acclaim and public love — including most recently the, 2024 Waiata Māori Music Award for Best Pop Album. In every way, Te Karanga is more than just a song. It's a reflection of Aro's kaupapa: to live with hope, to move with aroha, and to leave a legacy that calls others forward. The song's spirit is beautifully captured in its accompanying lyric video and its behind the scenes live recording video, with the former filmed by whanaunga Maioro Taylor (Ngāti Te Ata Waiohua) on Āwhitu Peninsula. It follows Emily and Charles walking a long road toward a small chapel — a visual metaphor for answering the call of aroha, carrying hope forward, and trusting in the journey. The release of Te Karanga also follows a major milestone for Charles, who earlier this year stood with Muriwhenua to perform at Te Matatini 2025, reaffirming Aro's deep commitment to uplifting te ao Māori through music, kaupapa, and action. With their lives now woven into the land and its people in a new way, Aro are working towards their third full-length album, due for release in Autumn 2026 (supported by Te Māngai Paho), drawing inspiration from their adventures, their whānau life on the road, and their continued work delivering storytelling and songwriting workshops in kura across Aotearoa ( thanks to the NZ Music Commission). Te Karanga is released on May 23rd, 2025, with thanks to Te Māngai Paho and NZ On Air through Waiata Takitahi.
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Aro's ‘Te Karanga' A New Song For A New Season
Award-winning Aotearoa duo Aro are embracing a new season of life and releasing Te Karanga, their powerful new waiata to match. This Easter, Charles and Emily Looker (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Te Ata Waiohua, Ngāti Mutunga), along with their two tamariki, packed up their Pukekohe home, moved their life into a custom-fitted Rugged Kiwi caravan, and hit the road to live a life centred around whānau, community, bicultural connection, and legacy. It's a bold lifestyle shift that mirrors the heart behind Te Karanga, their hopeful new waiata, released May 23rd, 2025. 'We should always find a way, when love calls — Karanga mai…' Written in late 2024 after an unforgettable live set with TONES, Te Karanga captures a deeply personal moment for the duo — a call to respond to aroha, to move forward with hope, even when the path is uncertain. Unlike Aro's earlier concept albums, often grounded in months of research into Te Taiao, this waiata poured out in an evening — raw, real, and deeply reflective of their lived experience. Musically, Te Karanga weaves Aro's signature bilingual artistry with an expansive, soulful sound, powered by the gospel energy of House of Misfits. Recorded, mixed, mastered and produced by talented Scott Seabright in Onewhero and at Auckland's Lab Studio, it offers rich harmonies, irresistible groove, and the emotional authenticity that has earned Aro critical acclaim and public love — including most recently the, 2024 Waiata Māori Music Award for Best Pop Album. In every way, Te Karanga is more than just a song. It's a reflection of Aro's kaupapa: to live with hope, to move with aroha, and to leave a legacy that calls others forward. The song's spirit is beautifully captured in its accompanying lyric video and its behind the scenes live recording video, with the former filmed by whanaunga Maioro Taylor (Ngāti Te Ata Waiohua) on Āwhitu Peninsula. It follows Emily and Charles walking a long road toward a small chapel — a visual metaphor for answering the call of aroha, carrying hope forward, and trusting in the journey. The release of Te Karanga also follows a major milestone for Charles, who earlier this year stood with Muriwhenua to perform at Te Matatini 2025, reaffirming Aro's deep commitment to uplifting te ao Māori through music, kaupapa, and action. With their lives now woven into the land and its people in a new way, Aro are working towards their third full-length album, due for release in Autumn 2026 (supported by Te Māngai Paho), drawing inspiration from their adventures, their whānau life on the road, and their continued work delivering storytelling and songwriting workshops in kura across Aotearoa ( thanks to the NZ Music Commission). Te Karanga is released on May 23rd, 2025, with thanks to Te Māngai Paho and NZ On Air through Waiata Takitahi.
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Aro's ‘Te Karanga' A New Song For A New Season
Award-winning Aotearoa duo Aro are embracing a new season of life and releasing Te Karanga, their powerful new waiata to match. This Easter, Charles and Emily Looker (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Te Ata Waiohua, Ngāti Mutunga), along with their two tamariki, packed up their Pukekohe home, moved their life into a custom-fitted Rugged Kiwi caravan, and hit the road to live a life centred around whānau, community, bicultural connection, and legacy. It's a bold lifestyle shift that mirrors the heart behind Te Karanga, their hopeful new waiata, released May 23rd, 2025. "We should always find a way, when love calls — Karanga mai..." Written in late 2024 after an unforgettable live set with TONES, Te Karanga captures a deeply personal moment for the duo — a call to respond to aroha, to move forward with hope, even when the path is uncertain. Unlike Aro's earlier concept albums, often grounded in months of research into Te Taiao, this waiata poured out in an evening — raw, real, and deeply reflective of their lived experience. Musically, Te Karanga weaves Aro's signature bilingual artistry with an expansive, soulful sound, powered by the gospel energy of House of Misfits. Recorded, mixed, mastered and produced by talented Scott Seabright in Onewhero and at Auckland's Lab Studio, it offers rich harmonies, irresistible groove, and the emotional authenticity that has earned Aro critical acclaim and public love — including most recently the, 2024 Waiata Māori Music Award for Best Pop Album. In every way, Te Karanga is more than just a song. It's a reflection of Aro's kaupapa: to live with hope, to move with aroha, and to leave a legacy that calls others forward. The song's spirit is beautifully captured in its accompanying lyric video and its behind the scenes live recording video, with the former filmed by whanaunga Maioro Taylor (Ngāti Te Ata Waiohua) on Āwhitu Peninsula. It follows Emily and Charles walking a long road toward a small chapel — a visual metaphor for answering the call of aroha, carrying hope forward, and trusting in the journey. The release of Te Karanga also follows a major milestone for Charles, who earlier this year stood with Muriwhenua to perform at Te Matatini 2025, reaffirming Aro's deep commitment to uplifting te ao Māori through music, kaupapa, and action. With their lives now woven into the land and its people in a new way, Aro are working towards their third full-length album, due for release in Autumn 2026 (supported by Te Māngai Paho), drawing inspiration from their adventures, their whānau life on the road, and their continued work delivering storytelling and songwriting workshops in kura across Aotearoa ( thanks to the NZ Music Commission). Te Karanga is released on May 23rd, 2025, with thanks to Te Māngai Paho and NZ On Air through Waiata Takitahi.
NZ Herald
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Ngāti Tamaoho leads Auckland Matariki Festival with water-themed celebrations
These lines highlight three stars in the Matariki cluster – Waitā (linked to salt water), Waitī (fresh water), and Waipunarangi (rain) – with each connected to places of significance for Ngāti Tamaoho. Waitā represents Te Mānukanuka o Hoturoa (Manukau Harbour), Waitī connects with the Mangatangi River in the Hunua Ranges, and Waipunarangi is associated with the life-giving rain that nourishes the fertile lands of Pukekohe. Ngāti Tamaoho Trust chair Moroni Edwards says the kaupapa of the festival reflects the values held deeply by the iwi. 'Together and oneness are main aspects of Matariki to us at Ngāti Tamaoho. It is a way to celebrate. It is also a time to remember our loved ones who have passed on.' The iwi will lead cultural activities, community gatherings, water blessings and storytelling events under the kaupapa Matariki ki te Wai. Te Taiao manager Edith Tuhimata says the connection between Matariki and wai is embedded in mātauranga passed down over generations. 'There are key ancestral stories about interpreting the stars,' she says. 'Each Matariki star helps foretell the year ahead, including the stars which shine for water. Waitā is the star of the sea and ocean, Waitī is the star of fresh water, and Waipunarangi symbolises rain.' In addition to local events and workshops across the region, a central city programme – Matariki ki te Manawa – will feature exhibitions and performances in partnership with iwi, artists and environmental groups. The festival will close with a live concert showcasing Māori artists to welcome the new year. One of the flagship events, Te Hui Ahurei o Matariki (Matariki Festival Day) on June 20, will mark the dawn rising of the Matariki star cluster in the northeastern sky – a key moment in the maramataka (Māori lunar calendar). 'It aims to bring people of all ages together to celebrate Matariki,' says Auckland Council Māori Culture and Identity programme lead Melz Huata-Lucas. Te Hui Ahurei o Matariki will take place at the Auckland Botanic Gardens. Activities will include kapa haka, waiata, mana whenua stories, carving demonstrations, and kite-making. Ngāti Tamaoho's role as host is steeped in history. According to the Auckland Council's Matariki website, the iwi descends from both Te Waiohua and Waikato, with ancestral ties to some of the earliest peoples of Tāmaki Makaurau, including Te Tini o Toi, Ngā Oho, and Ngā Iwi. Their traditional rohe (lands) stretch from Ihumātao and Papakura across to Pukekohe, Mangatangi and Maramarua. They are closely connected to Te Mānukanuka o Hoturoa (Manukau Harbour) and the Waikato River. Once labelled rebels and forcibly displaced from their ancestral lands in 1863, Ngāti Tamaoho spent decades rebuilding their presence and pursuing justice. Their settlement with the Crown was finalised in 2017 with a formal apology for historical breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Toi Katipa says the opportunity to host the Matariki Festival again is an honour. 'Ngāti Tamaoho is proud to hold the mana of Matariki this festival season. We are still learning about that aspect of ourselves. It is beautiful, nevertheless, to feel the essence of the occasion and the connection to the stars.' The full programme is available at from today.
