Taipā teenagers line up for the final

Taipā Area School students Waimarino Tait (left) and Tiare Lanigan, Te Tai Tokerau's finalists in the waiata composition competition Korihi - A quest for the best. Photo / Supplied

Taipā Area School students Tiare Lanigan and Waimarino Tai will represent Te Tai Tokerau in the final of the inaugural waiata composition competition Korihi (Morning Chorus of Birds) - A quest for the best, on Māori TV on Saturday week (August 29).

The competition was launched on Facebook last month, in collaboration with the National Urban Māori Authority, Whānau Ora, Te Whakaruruhau ō Ngā Reo Irirangi and Māori Television, to give budding Māori songwriters the chance to articulate their experiences of the global Covid-19 pandemic.

"As New Zealand entered Level 4 lockdown at midnight on March 25, people across the country began to adapt to the response and use their time grounded at home to create what would become a collective archive of its impact on daily life," Micah Tawhara said.

"For the nation's musical artists, lockdown resulted in opportunities to compose waiata that reflected the mood of the country, from whānau to hapū to iwi and to the world."

The final would showcase 14 waiata from the seven Māori electorates.

In Te Tai Tokerau, contestants and voting support were sought by the Taitokerau Whānau Ora Collective and iwi radio stations Te Hiku Media, Tautoko FM and Ngāti Hine FM, with Herekino singer/songwriter/current affairs presenter and entertainer Pere Wihongi, who was named best Māori solo artist in the 2019 Waiata Māori Music Awards, as the resident judge.

Each of the seven regions was allocated two judges, from well-known musicians such as Katchafire's lead singer Logan Bell, Maimoa's Tawaroa Kawana and Rob Ruha to Te Tai Tokerau's very own Whaea Mere Taylor-Tuilomo.

Tawhara said providing opportunities for established Māori artists to provide feedback and awhi aspiring Māori composers towards a possible career in music had been an extraordinary experience for Tiare and Waimarino, who "wowed" the online audience with Tiare's original waiata 'Waimarie,' as did a talented Hokianga trio who sang 'Hine Papata,' composed by Whaea Mina Pomare, each winning $2500.

The winners of $500 people's choice prizes included Te Kao's Jackson Taylor (Ratu Murray), Kaitaia music producer/musician Derek Ashley, student Camden Rutene, from Whatuwhiwhi, Selena Gerbic, Sherry Pomare and rappers the Pikaahu brothers from Taipā Area School.

Whaea Mina was pleasantly surprised with her win saying "It was the theme of the Korihi competition that motivated me to enter because I wanted people to know how the Covid-19 lockdown was like for us. I wanted to represent Te Tai Tokerau, as we were unfairly labelled by the media as troublemakers. We are now able to get the true message out while contributing to Māori music, which is how we encourage our tamariki and mokopuna to express themselves and be role models for our hapū."

Tiare said she hadn't been especially keen on entering a national talent quest.

"I instantly thought I'd have no chance, considering all the talented songwriters around the motu," she said.

"My waiata is about looking after our whenua that provides for us. The lockdown gave us no choice but to live similar to our tupuna. We grew maara kai and lived off the land. I'm so grateful we made it through to the finals for Te Tai Tokerau and am super-excited.

Both finalists are being mentored by seasoned musicians Troy Kingi, Laughton Kora, Bella Kalolo and Whirimako Black in the lead-up to the final, where the winner will receive $5000 (plus $50,000 for a charity of their choice), second $3000 and third $2000.

The judging process will include viewer texting.

"We are in for an exceptionally exciting event that we've never experienced before, and we're extremely proud of our representatives," Tawhara said.

"On behalf of Shine on Kaitaia, Taitokerau Whānau Ora Collective, Te Taitokerau iwi radio stations, and friends and family of our finalists, please tune in to Māori TV on August 29 and support our reps as they battle it out for the win."

For the latest updates go to https://www.facebook.com/korihiquest/