Six Songs, Six Nations, One Voice
The final single, ‘Ātahu’ is released today, Monday, October 28. It just happens to be a significant date in Aotearoa New Zealand. In 1835 He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni recognised the sovereignty of Māori tribes or nations in Aotearoa. In 2024, October 28 is also the Labour Day public holiday commemorating the struggle to achieve an eight-hour working day back in 1890 - and the ongoing rights of workers.
‘Ātahu’ is a mixture of spoken word, whispers, haunting refrains and ‘oli chants. The theme of the waiata is magic. It’s a love charm. The guest vocalist, Kaumakaiwa Kanaka'ole weaves a spell in and around the seductive groove created by Paddy Free.
Moana Maniapoto reflects, “I was keen to find a Hawaiian vocalist for our final song but struggled. I mentioned it to reo advocate Hemi Kelly and he recommended Kaumakaiwa. My manager Sol tracked her down and I flew to O‘ahu to be with her when she recorded her vocals. Kaumakaiwa reminded me that we’d met 20 years ago amid the dusty, majestic ruins of Greece. My group represented Aotearoa New Zealand in the Cultural Olympiad that led up to the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
“Kaumakaiwa was a teenager then, the star of the Hawaiians’ group. Since then the transgender Hawaiian (mahu wahine) has been described as “the voice of a generation”. It was astounding and perhaps prescient that we ended up collaborating again twenty years after - like it was meant to be."
Listen to the latest single HERE
ONO means six in Māori. It is also the title of a concept album project that begins in Aotearoa New Zealand and travels the world. Each song showcases the voice, language and culture of six Indigenous wāhine from lands where Moana & the Tribe has performed.
The Māori lyrics written by Te Manahau Scotty Morrison are inspired by traditional karakia (incantations) and pay homage to “people power”, relationships and language.
From the Arctic Circle to the highlands of Scotland; from Canada to the misty mountains of Taipei; out of Australia and up to the islands of Hawai‘i, producers Paddy Free and Moana Maniapoto mix sublime vocals with electronica-dub to create a World Music album that symbolises hope and unity.
ONO, Moana & the Tribe’s sixth studio album, is released November 1, 2024 on LP, CD and digital via Black Pearl Ltd.
Pre-Save the digital album ONO: HERE
