Homecoming of sorts for MĀ

MĀ and The Fly Hunnies will be performing tomorrow as part of the Whiti offering for Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival. Picture supplied

MĀ vividly remembers the dark days of sitting in her car at Makorori Beach and making music on her laptop.

It was the months following the passing of her mum Nancy Brunning — the award-winning actress, director and writer who premiered Witi’s Wāhine in Tairāwhiti — and Maarire Brunning-Kouka, or MĀ as she is known in the music world,  just wanted to “get the yuck out”.

“I went on a bit of a hiatus and moved to Tūranga  (Gisborne) to try to find a place to live and finish my building apprenticeship,” says MĀ.

“I was feeling really mamae (hurt) and needed to somehow express that.”

She never did finish that apprenticeship and instead grew within her own musical creations.

From there she started writing her own lyrics and then, during the Covid lockdown, applied for funding to take it further.

Tomorrow she returns to Tūranga  to perform with her band The Fly Hunnies as part of the Whiti offering of the Tairāwhiti Arts Festival.

It is something of a homecoming for her and she is looking forward to it.

“Playing at home is going to be amazing,” she says. “We do have a song where I mention my hononga (connection) to Te Tairāwhiti so I am looking forward to feeling that.”

With a name like Kouka — her dad is iconic playwright Hone — MĀ and her connections run deep throughout Te Tairāwhiti.

“Both my parents were pretty active with their love of music and my tastes are pretty broad, too,” she says.

Her music is described as addictive hip hop and soulful jazz. It’s a mix of te reo and English and carries messages about things MĀ thinks need to be changed or just highlighted.

She describes her seven-piece band — Taranaki Ah Young-Grace, Louisa Williamson, Maioha Hotere, Fraser Walker, Ensai August, Hikurangi Schaverien-Kaa and Hayden Nickel — as “incredible”.

“We work together creating,” she says. “A lot of them are jazz-based and just incredible. They all have amazing talent and we promise a beautiful show.”

She likes to make sure all of their talents are showcased as much as possible.

MĀ & The Fly Hunnies isn’t her only gig.

She also has a small hip hop group – Iti Bubbas — and as if writing and producing her own music isn’t enough, she works as a kaitiaki ranger in Porirua for Te Runanga o Toa Rangatira.

It is a job she adores.

“I need to be outside,” says MĀ. “I feel very lucky to be part of the iwi and taking care of the ecosystem.”

Her appearance at the Arts Festival follows on from her late mum’s production Witi’s Wāhine which premiered at the festival in 2019.

She’s hopeful of seeing other performances while here and catching up with festival artistic director Tama Waipara.

“I have a lot of aroha and mana for Tama, so that will be special.”

MĀ & The Fly Hunnies play at the Lawson Field Theatre tomorrow. Tickets are available at tetairawhitiartsfestival.nz