Waiata Bro's

19-year-old animator Turanga Mahutonga is creating Waiata Bro’s: A series of fun animated music videos that teach words and phrases in te reo Māori for everyone to sing along to.

Tihei Mauri ora. Ko Turanga Mahutonga toku ingoa, he uri tenei no Te Arawa, Taranaki me Ngāti Whakaue. Anei he korero e pā ana ki aku mahi pakiwaituhi, ara, kō Waiata Bro’s. Kō taku e hiahia ana ko te Whakamārama i ngā pānga me nga hua o tenei mahi mō tātou te iwi Māori, kia whakakīkī i a koutou kia tautoko mai i tenei kaupapa naku ano i pohewa. Na reira, tenei te karanga atu ki a koutou.

The story behind Waiata Bro's

When I was growing up there was always music and te reo Māori in our whare. We had to sing it ourselves because there wasn't much to find on the TV or out there in the wider world. That's now changing - but it's still really hard to find waiata Māori for tamariki. 

Waiata Bro's is here to change that - I’m creating a series of animated music videos that offer a way to learn new words and phrases in te reo Māori. 

Waiata Bro’s started earlier this year when I moved to Ōtaki for a six week animation intensifier course at the Māoriland Tech Creative Hub - MATCH. Waiata Bro's is my graduation project! It was an instant hit with children and with adults too. I knew when I got the whole room singing at Māoriland Film Festival that I was on to something! Everyone was happy when they heard my waiata. They quickly picked up the words and I would hear them singing it for days afterwards. Even those who already know te reo Māori were singing along. It was exactly what I wanted to happen and so I started to write and animate more waiata.

At Māoriland Film Festival, I won the MATCH Pitch prize - which gave me funding to  develop the project. This was matched by Māoriland Charitable Trust who placed me in the MATCH incubator enabling me to produce 4 more waiata. I've got another 11 waiata planned out, ready to produce to make a total of 15 animated te reo Māori music videos.

Your help is needed

With your help, I will be able to write, sing and animate a further 11 catchy waiata that includes Atua Māori, kai, jobs, animals, numbers, emotions, pepeha and greetings. 

I’m trying to raise $8,000 over the next month - this will enable me to book a studio and hire creative support including artists and musicians to complete the project. 

With the support of Māoriland and you - I know that we can make something magical. We all remember the waiata from our childhood - I look forward to Waiata Bro's being the Māori “Wiggles” of Aotearoa!

Māoriland Productions

This project has been developed through the MATCH Incubator. With training, mentorship, and industry-led opportunities M.A.T.C.H is a pathway for rangatahi to high-value careers as the producers, developers, and thought-pioneers of the future. Turanga is a graduate of the second intake of M.A.T.C.H (Jan 2021) and impressed with his passion and skills for reo Māori, art and animation. Waiata Bros will be produced by Māoriland Productions. 

“We need more reo Māori resources for our tamariki and their whānau” says Māoriland managing director Libby Hakaraia. “We hope everyone will support Turanga’s vision to create these joyful waiata that celebrate the language of our country.”

The M.A.T.C.H Intensifier programme, supported by the Ministry of Social Development and Vodafone Foundation, is currently accepting applications for the fourth MATCH cohort commencing October 18.