Te Hekenga

by Te Tokotoru

supported by

thedutymanager It's catchy, it's pop/rock, it's te reo Māori goodness.

	/

Streaming + Download

Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

$2 NZD or more

about

‘Te Hekenga’ carries with it many meanings. The title itself speaks to the journey tangata whenua made down from Hawaiki to Aotearoa but also in relation to this new roopu Te Tokotoru, the singles title has an even closer relevance. ‘Te Hekenga’ speaks of a new generation of Māori, coming through and navigating our tikanga in a modern world. “Te Hekenga is their anthem”, Arahi explained. “And the kaupapa of Te Tokotoru is creating with Māori whakaaro and tikanga at the helm”.

“Each creative step we take with Te Tokotoru is taken with a Māori perspective. And in an arena where that isn’t so common, we are focused on relentlessly integrating tikanga with the music people love. ‘Te Hekenga’ touches on how we are merely descendants of those who have come before us and how we will continue to preserve and grow what they have worked so hard to keep alive for Te Āo Māori,” Arahi says.

lyrics

He tama nā Māui
Haututū e
Kua eke kua eke
Parahutihuti te haere

Tukemata atu tukemata mai
Takatakahi i te ara ko te tira ki te pae
Tirakaraka te rere
o Te tokotoru e
Tihei mauri ora
Paneke. Paneke!

Ko te ao e karanga ai
Ko tāku he pōhiri mai
Ngā Tamatoa o era rā
Ko mātou noa te hekenga
Ko mātou noa te hekenga

credits

released September 14, 2023
Iraia Whakamoe: Drums
Arahi: Guitar and Vocals
William Devine: Bass
Paiana Whaanga: Lyrics
Produced by Troy Kingi
Recorded at Surgery Studios by Lee Prebble