Singer Ria Hall in a korowai, will lead a specially arranged waiata that will signal the start of the Tauranga Arts Festival. Photo/George Novak
Singer Ria Hall in a korowai, will lead a specially arranged waiata that will signal the start of the Tauranga Arts Festival. Photo/George Novak
Tauranga singing sensation Ria Hall is calling all songbirds to join her in a harbourside "dawn chorus" for the opening of the Tauranga Arts Festival on Thursday, October 22.
Ria has arranged the melody for a specially commissioned waiata, Takiri Ko Te Ata, by Welcome Bay's Teraania Ormsby-Teki. The songis an ode to the fairies of Hautere (the bush area behind Pyes Pa) who return to their old friend Mauao every night and depart at dawn.
"We knew we wanted voices only, to hear the harmonies - and to bring all walks of life, all cultures and ages together. It's an awesome opportunity for people to engage with te reo," says Ria.
"There is something about singing in Maori that carries another kind of spirit with it." The melody and lyrics are available from the festival website so anyone may join in and Ria will take a public rehearsal at Mauao Performing Arts Centre in Totara St from 9am to noon on Saturday, October 17 - five days later leading the voices raised in song celebrating our people, our place and our artists.
Ria, who has moved back to Tauranga, didn't grow up with te reo Maori at home and although she attended a kohanga reo, later went to mainstream schools, including Tauranga Girls' College.
"I made sure I immersed myself in my culture and was very involved with kapa haka," she says, "but I'm still learning and there's always something to give me a kick in the backside. I reckon it's less about accent and more about attitude."
The song Aotearoa, released during last year's Maori Language Week, and performed by Ria, Stan Walker, Maisey Rika and Troy Kingi last month won the Maioha Award at the Apra Silver Scroll Awards.
"That song is a great example of what my generation is doing with te reo and of how we view the language and its place in society," Ria says. "It has served the really good purpose of saying we can all own te reo, it's the language of this land."
* Hear the melody and download the lyrics to Takiri Ko Te Ata at www.taurangafestival.co.nz. The waiata will be performed on The Strand waterfront at 7am on Thursday, October 22, all welcome.
