Kia Whanake Celebrates Te Ao Māori With Uplifting New Waiata ‘Ngā Mata O Te Ariki O Tāwhirimātea’

Aotearoa musician, Codi Wehi (Ngāti Maniapoto), returns with a joyful new waiata to start the school year, encouraging rangatahi to learn and enjoy te reo Māori.

The new single, ‘Ngā Mata o te Ariki o Tāwhirimātea’, celebrates the stars of Matariki and acknowledges the connections between ngā whetū (the stars), te taiao (natural environment), and wellbeing.

‘Ngā Mata o te Ariki o Tāwhirimātea’ is the latest single from his forthcoming EP Toru, following the releases of Tahi and Rua. Codi says this new release has the ability to “whakawhānui i ngā whakaaro” or “expand our thinking” on the whetū of Matariki. The track features Ria-Hiraani Mamea (lead vocals) and William Fillimoehala (back up vocals) who “add their own āhua to the waiata”.

Codi was inspired to create te reo Māori waiata for children by his daughter's quick uptake of kupu Māori through song. He transitioned from being part of well-known Aotearoa bands to establishing the ‘Kia Whanake’ kaupapa.

“Whanake means to grow or develop, which is the intent of these waiata, to support our tamariki in growing and developing their reo through song,” says Codi.

‘Kia Whanake’ aims to make te reo Māori accessible to whānau, tamariki, and educators to support the growth and longevity of te reo Māori. A range of practical resources that empower kaiako and whānau to use reo daily can be found on the website (https://kiawhanake.co.nz).

Codi’s passion for sharing te reo Māori with young people and whānau is at the heart of this release. Timed to coincide with the back-to-school season and created alongside family and friends, ‘Ngā Mata o te Ariki o Tāwhirimātea’ is an entry point for people of all ages to expand their knowledge of te reo Māori and te ao Māori.

‘Ngā Mata o te Ariki o Tāwhirimātea’ is made with the support of NZ On Air and is available now on all major streaming platforms.

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