More Maori hits is the challenge

Well-known Ngati Kahungunu arts advocate Tama Huata is issuing a challenge to iwi radio stations, singers, composers and entertainers during Maori Language Week as he plans this year's National Waiata Maori Awards.
"We really have only had one big Maori hit [song written in Maori] and that's Poi E. The Patea Maori Club is it, and before that it was probably Whakaaria Mai by Sir Howard Morrison.
"We desperately need more Maori hits, we need to tune into our ability to write songs that can cross all boundaries, whether it be main stream or in Maori radio," Mr Huata said.
For the third consecutive year, Mr Huata is the executive director of the Waiata Maori Awards which will be held at the Hawke's Bay Opera House in Hastings in September.
He's started a campaign to encourage Maori radio stations to develop a top-10 hit list of Maori artists, and for it to be played, updated and promoted regularly.
"It is absolutely vital that we hear our up-and-coming Maori artists being played on Maori radio in order for the industry to grow and develop.
"Maori radio is a key element because our people are producing CDs and DVDs and they need to be heard. Maori radio is 24 hours a day, seven days a week and covers a large spectrum," Mr Huata said.
He also wants to see composers and singers rediscover the winning formula which took the Patea Maori Club to the top of the charts in the 1980s and again this year.
"Patea had a brilliant front man who was Dalvanius Prime, a relentless great composer and a great entertainer. He was the driving force behind Patea. They went out and encouraged their whanau, friends and community to go out and buy the record.
"Dal got them to ring up all of the radio stations and request the song [Poi E] until finally it got into the top play list. They worked hard for a number one hit and then you look at it now, it's a hit again through the movie Boy," Mr Huata said.
The Waiata Maori Awards are open to all Maori artists, whether they sing or write their songs in English or Maori.
"It's important for me that all Maori be given the opportunity to come into the awards, whether it be in English or Maori, I don't want to create gates. My vision is to keep it open ... I don't want to put people off because they can't speak Maori but that's not to say the awards aren't great advocates of te reo, because they are," Mr Huata said.
"At some stage those artists [working in English] may record in Maori and that is an added bonus," he said.