Ka tangi te tītī, ka tangi te kākā, ka tangi hoki ahau: The creative potential of contemporary Māori music in promoting te reo Māori

Date
2014
Authors
Smith, Valance
Supervisor
Mahuta, Dean
Ka'ai, Tania
Item type
Exegesis
Degree name
Doctor of Philosophy
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Auckland University of Technology
Abstract

Ever since the advent of European colonization of New Zealand, Māori musicians and performers have adopted and interpreted many of the imported Western musical styles, often informed by and in combination with traditional instruments and sensibilities.

Resonant with that of many of our pioneering Māori musicians, is that Māori music is a thread of expression that has always, and will continually change and evolve in response to the musical innovations of the time. Innovations in waiata throughout the early 20th century set the foundation for a Māori pop music genre that quickly became popular in the 1960’s and 1970’s. More recently, contemporary musical styles such as rock and roll, country, hip hop, and in particular reggae, have all been engaged by notable indigenous Māori musicians and performers.

Despite its popularity however, research in the socio-cultural impact of colonisation and the tandem language loss in contemporary Māori music remains largely unexplored. Furthermore, there is little published material on the value of contemporary Māori music in reversing language loss and aiding the Māori language renaissance. This research will therefore contribute new insights and understandings into the value of contemporary Māori music in promoting the Māori language.

Furthermore, this research will explore the value of waiata written entirely in te reo, and the value of waiata written in both te reo and English. A key output of this research will be a creative work of six original contemporary waiata, and the development of a criterion framework identifying the key indicators of contemporary Māori music.

Mai anō i te taenga mai o tauiwi mā, kua whakaurua e ngā mātanga Māori reo waiata hou ngā awenga puoro hou ki tōna ao puoro. He whakapono nō tēnā nō tēnā o aua mātanga, ko te ao pūoro he huarahi hei whakaputa whakaaro, ā, ko taua ao anō e whakawhanake ana i runga i ngā awenga o te wā. Mai anō i te rau tau 1900, kua whai kiko tēnei whakaaro ki roto i ngā mātanga reo waiata hou nā rātou anō i whakawhānau mai he tū reo waiata hou, nā wai rā, nā wai rā, ka rongonui i ngā ngahuru tau 1960’s me te 1970’s. Nō nā noa nei kua whakaurua ngā tūmomo waiata e ngā mātanga reo waiata o ēnei wā pērā i te ‘rock n roll’, i te ‘country’, ‘hip hop’ me te ‘reggae’.

Ahakoa e arohaina ēnei tū waiata hou e te marea, he iti rawa ngā rangahau mō te hononga o ngā reo waiata hou me te mate haere o te reo. Ka mutu, kua iti rawa atu te taha rangahau mō te hua o ngā reo waiata hou e whakatairanga te reo Māori. Nā kōnā, he tirohanga hou, he whakamāramatanga hou tēnei mahi rangahau i te uaratanga o ngā reo waiata hou hei whakatairanga i te reo Māori. Ka mutu, ka āta matapakitia te uaratanga o ngā waiata kua titoa katoatia ki te reo Māori, me te uaratanga o ngā waiata kua titoa reoruatia. Waihoki, ko tētahi atu whakaputanga nui whakaharahara o te rangahau nei, ko ngā titonga reo waiata hou e ono, me te whare tauira e poupou ana i ngā tūhuratanga o te whare rangahau nei.

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Keywords
Māori music , Te reo Māori , Contemporary , Revitalisation , Māori identity , New Zealand music
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