The Waiata Anthems movement started in 2019 and each artist enriches their song with accompanying short documentaries — this year exploring themes such as universal love, personal empowerment, cultural revival and ancestral bonds.
Other artists such as Muroki and Riiki Reid have each created their first original composition in te reo, a heartfelt waiata for those going through a tough time.
Lines is no stranger to creating te reo Māori music, but as she re-versions her pop hit Made for Loving, she admits she had doubts as a Pākehā taking on the challenge of performing in te reo Māori.
“For a little while I have been on a journey learning te reo. It’s been slow and beautiful, but at times scary, with lots of emotion and fear,” Lines tells Spy.
“I have been asking the question, as a Pākehā is this okay? Is this journey okay?”
Lines worked with acclaimed singer and language consultant Tawaroa Kawana in translating Made for Loving into Te aroha mou.
“Working with Tawaroa was such a wonderful experience. I felt nothing but support from him and an incredible patience as I waded my way through the song, both of us focusing on getting the pronunciation correct,” she says.
The te reo version carries a new interpretation to the original version of her song, Lines says, bringing it new life.
“There are a few different ad libs and harmonies scattered throughout the song which add a cool dynamic, I particularly love the harmony in the choruses.”
The Black Seeds lead singer Barnaby Weir. Photo / The Bay of Plenty Times
The Black Seeds’ iconic Kiwi anthem So True gets a loving twist in te reo uncovering themes of universal love which translates the song into Koia Ko Koe.
Lead singer Barnaby Weir was part of the Waiata movement last year, releasing Fly My Pretties’ Family Tree in te reo.
“It was a real honour to be asked again to be a part of Waiata Anthems, this time with an altogether different song by The Black Seeds,” Weir tells Spy.
“So True is probably our most loved and well-known song, so it makes total sense to translate and deliver something much more familiar in te reo Māori for people to sing along to,” he says.
‘It’s a fun and lighter, familiar track that feels good and sounds good in te reo Māori. And these attributes make it easier to learn and enjoy in te reo Māori too.”
Weir says he and the band asked that the translation kept very much to what the English lyrics were saying originally.
“So True is predominantly a romantic love song with a sincere heart to it for your partner, but also some of the lyrics relate to anyone that you hold close to love dearly, friends and family too,” Weir says.
The translation was aimed with this in mind but Weir says the process resulted in a broader level of perspective than the meaning of the original lyrics.
“This was really interesting. I don’t think you can translate a piece of creative writing literally in te reo Māori, and that is special.
“Te reo Māori has a depth and multi levels of meaning that straightforward English does not have,” he says.
The Black Seeds will be playing at gigs all this summer and Spy bets that Koia Ko Koe will have gained traction by then, with crowds asking the band to perform both versions.
To listen and watch some of your favourite Kiwi artists transform their work, check out waiataanthems.co.nz from Friday.
