Tararua releases single ‘Puaka’ in honour of the start of the Māori New Year

Wellington art music ensemble Tararua have just released of their debut single ‘Puaka’ to mark the beginning of the Māori New Year. 

‘Puaka’ is the Kāi Tahu dialect form of Puanga, the star also known as Rigel, an important signifier of the Māori New Year for some iwi. The lyrics of ‘Puaka’ are written by Ruby Solly, and the string parts were written by bass player Phil Boniface.

Tararua (meaning ‘two peaks’), connects whakapapa, from mountains in both North and South Islands, this contemporary New Zealand art music weaves the voices of Aoraki, the spiritual home of Ruby Solly and Ariana Tikao, winding through Te Waipounamu raised, Wellington based artist Al Fraser, and merging into Phil Boniface’s birthplace and connection with the Tararua ranges.

Their evocative music combines taonga pūoro, waiata, karakia and pūrākau (story) with a strong southern Māori influence, with the western instrumental elements of the cello and doublebass. The ensemble is made up of four established artists Al Fraser, Ariana Tikao, Ruby Solly and Phil Boniface; who are each leaders in their various fields. 

Their debut performance is this Saturday 12 June, as part of the Wellington Jazz Festival, where they will premiere Ruby Solly’s Te Karanga o Ngā Whetū where they will be joined by guest musicians Riki Gooch, Gerard Crewdson, and Rosie Langabeer.

Tararua was supported by Creative New Zealand to create their upcoming album ‘Bird-like men’. 

The album was recorded by Lee Prebble at Wellington’s Surgery Studio and mixed by David Long and is due to be released late July 2021.

Puaka

me Kā Kapa

whetū

tohu o te tau

Wheriko i kā tohu

pūhihi whetū e

ki te toka

te toka

Dawn riser

our survivor

take my hand up to the hills

piki mauka

piki ora

scattered eyes shine

from the black

Nā te pō

ki te ao mārama

Te Tāua nui o te pō

“Piri mai”, she says

to her daughters six

in my hands in their hands

water flowing through

Waitī, waitā

Waipunaraki

Tupuānuku

Tupuāraki

Ururaki

Hiwa-i-te-raki

Pōhutukawa

Matariki

Puaka Kai Rau

E Takurua

E haere ki tō whaiāipō

these long cold nights are held by you

these long cold nights where memories swim

call their names to the black wind

‘til they light up the night

Tūpuna my southern lights

Let our children hear the names of those they will know from within

Cry it to the wind, cry it to the wind.

Tūpuna my southern lights, kā aho mo kā kapa, a thread for Puaka.

Our southernmost lights

Burning through the black