Leading Māori Musician Passes

MEDIA RELEASE

To: All Media
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 16 April 2008

Leading Māori Musician Passes

Creative New Zealand mourns the loss of leading Māori songwriter and musician Mahinarangi Tocker (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Tuwharetoa, Tainui (Ngāti Maniapoto), Hebrew and Celtic ancestry). Mahinarangi passed away at North Shore Hospital after being admitted last week after suffering a severe asthma attack.

A prolific songwriter and performer Mahinarangi Tocker wrote over 600 songs in her career that spanned more than 25 years. She toured extensively and was a regular performer on the New Zealand festival circuit. As well as performing solo, Mahinarangi worked collaboratively with many New Zealand artists including Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Charlotte Yates. For her services to music, she became a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2008's New Year's Honours List.

“From the earliest days of the Web Collective, Mahinarangi’s lyrical guitar, haunting words and light filled words moved so many of us,” said Dr Ngahuia Te Awekotuku, Chair of Te Waka Toi, the Māori arts board of Creative New Zealand. “Her loss is a tragedy; we will miss her deeply. All the songs yet to be sung, the melodies yet to be written. Our hearts go out to her partner, her daughter and her whanau. E te manu piataata, e te korimako tioriori o te wa nui o Hine Whakapiripiri, o Hine Raukatauri, moe mai ra.”

ENDS

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