WHIRI TŪ AKA
Porirua, Wellington, New Zealand | Established. Jan 01, 2012 | INDIE
Music
Press
Mother of music: Porirua musician Mina Ripia of the a-capella group WHIRI TU AKA. Motherhood has inspired a Porirua musician to release an album of Maori a-capella music. Mina Ripia with the band WHIRI TU AKA launch their debut Maori a-capella album at the Pataka Art Museum, Porirua next month. The band formed last year and also includes Lisa Tomlins from the Hutt Valley, Kirsten Te Rito from Wellington, Gaynor Rikihana from Motueka and Betty-Anne Monga from Auckland. Ripia and her partner Maaka McGregor are directors of the Porirua-based audio production company Minaaka. The family-owned company specialises in producing Maori language audio products with the aim of revitalising and promoting use of Te Reo through music. Creating the album WHIRI TU AKA was an extension of that work, inspired by motherhood, Ripia said. "Having a family and giving life to my most precious gift, our son, Uta Te Whanga Whetuariki Johanson Ripia-McGregor, has inspired me to create this album of Maori a-capella waiata," she said. "I sang to him at the very beginning of his creation, I sang to him when he was born into the world and I will continue to sing to him for the rest of my life. Words alone cannot explain the feeling of creating such a powerful taonga, the gift of life." WHIRI TU AKA have been invited to perform at this year's Australasian Worldwide Music Expo in Melbourne alongside New Zealand musicians Hollie Smith, Mark Vanilau, bands Sola Rosa, Sons of Zion, and Maisey Rika and Whirimako Black who perform with the Barefoot Divas. WHIRI TU AKA's album launch will be at Pataka at 1pm on October 6. The album, will be available from www.whirituaka.com, iTunes and Amplifier. - Kapi Mana
AWME Announces Local And International Showcase Artistsby PAUL CASHMERE
The Australian World Music Expo (AWME) has announced its first round of showcasing artists with Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Vanuatu and Reunion Island representing the first nations announced.
Tagged as: Australian World Music Expo, AWME, Coloured Stone, Damien Dempsey, Dereb The Ambassador, Grizzly Jim Lawrie, Hollie Smith, Impossible Odds, Knox, Maya Kamaty, Melbourne Ska Orchestra, Slip On Stereo, Sola Rosa, Stan & The Earth Force, Stephen Pigram, The Cambodian Space Project, The Orbweavers, The Putbacks with Emma Donovan, Tjupurru, Whiri Tu Aka
Read the full article → - Noise11
Sorry, this episode is not currently available on BBC iPlayer Radio
Last on
BBC Radio 3
Wed 22 Jan 2014
23:00
BBC Radio 3
See all previous episodes from Late Junction
More episodes
Wednesday - Max Reinhardt
Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
First broadcast: Wednesday 22 January 2014
Max Reinhardt presents a diverse range of music, including German calypso from Lord Mouse & The Kalypso Cats, Maori ensemble Whiri Tu Aka, Lithuanian sound-art group the Concrete Bunnies, and new Mexican diva Carla Morrison. - BBC 3
THE SHED'S TOP 30 - THE FULL LIST
1. Howe Gelb 'The Coincidentalist' / Dom La Nena 'Ela'
2. Ibrahim Maalouf 'Wind'
3. Krom 'Neon Dark'
4. Vampire Weekend 'Modern Vampires Of The City'
5. Low Wormwood 'The Watcher'
6. Bombino 'Nomad'
7. Creole Choir Of Cuba 'Santiman'
8. Bassekou Kouyate + Ngoni Ba 'Jama Ko'
9. Lala Njava 'Malagasy Blues Song'
10. Dub Addiction 'Meets Kampuchea Rockers Uptown'
11. David Bowie 'The Next Day' / Arctic Monkeys 'AM'
12. Winston McAnuff + Fixi 'A New Day'
13. Whiri Tu Aka 'Whiri Tu Aka'
14. John Murry 'The Graceless Age'
15. Marta Topferova + Tomas Liska 'Milokraj'
16. Jupiter + Okwess International ' Hotel Univers'
17. Yasmine Hamdan 'Ya Nass'
18. Will Varley 'Where The Crow Flies' / Patrick Sweany 'Close To The Floor'
19. Vieux Farka Toure 'Mon Pays'
20. Koby Israelite 'Blues From Elsewhere'
21. Patty Griffin 'American Kid'
22. Kobo Town 'Jumbie In The Jukebox'
23. Tamikrest 'Chatma'
24. Ed Harcourt 'Back Into The Woods'
25. Resident Cards 'We Won't Leave Any Trace'
26. Charlie Jones 'Love Form'
27. Femi Kuti 'No Place For My Dream'
28. Bill Callahan 'Dream River'
29. Danny Michel + Garifuna Collective 'Black Birds Are Dancing Over Me'
30. Pinks Quieter 'Pinks Quieter' - mark cole
Discography
WHIRI TU AKA
Photos
Bio
Tihei Mauri Ora!
We are WHIRI TU AKA - WHIRI TU AKA is the coming together of our individual traditional values, creativity, innovation, uniqueness, authenticity and our wairua(spirits) forming a strong fine or plait.
The WHIRI TU AKA concept in terms of tikanga (culture) promotes positive messages. It highlights the challenges we face as Maori Artists who sing entirely in Te Reo Maori (the Maori language) and it will raise and strengthen the awareness of our Maori Artists. It doesnt matter that you dont understand the Maori language; there are resonances and meanings here that go way beyond literal translations.
WHIRI TU AKA encourages the normalisation of Te Reo Maori as it is hip, funky, relevant and competitive against the daily bombardment of non Maori language products mainstream and not mainstream. WHIRI TU AKA is a stimulating presentation of the Maori language, Maori music, Maori people & Maori culture. WHIRI TU AKA will attune the ears of the listeners to the beauty and rhythm of Te Reo and to the Maori vowels, diphthongs and consonant sounds of the Maori language.
As an artist and a producer it has always been a dream of mine to create a Maori a-capella body of work. In 2012 I decided to approach four talented, beautiful, and powerful women to join me to create this album. They graciously agreed and I am now privileged to present to the world, WHIRI TU AKA.
WHIRI TU AKA are Gaynor Rikihana, Kirsten Te Rito, Betty-Anne Monga, Lisa Tomlins and myself Mina Ripia.
The sound of WHIRI TU AKA
As individual artists we have all brought a wealth of experience, dynamics, knowledge and passion to the creation of WHIRI TU AKA. As a producer I strived to craft a distinctive Maori voice that is traditional in its inspiration, creativity, innovation and that is unique, authentic and sounds like where it originates Aotearoa, New Zealand. These are the qualities that are the essence and the sound of WHIRI TU AKA.
The inspiration for WHIRI TU AKA
If I were asked to define motherhood, I would say love, in its purest form. It is the hardest thing I have ever done and it has taught me how to love, unconditionally.
Having a family and giving life to my most precious gift, our son, Uta Te Whanga Whetuariki Johanson Ripia-McGregor, has inspired me to create this album of Maori a-capella waiata. I believe Uta Te Whangas existence continues the ancient sacred pattern of universal unity that ties us all into the fabric of life.
'The power of the voice' I sang to him at the very beginning of his creation, I sang to him when he was born into the world and I will continue to sing to him for the rest of my life. Words alone cannot explain the feeling of creating such a powerful taonga(treasure), the gift of life.
My victory is not achieved alone, but it is accomplished through many
"Ehara, taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa, takitini"
Band Members
Links
