Tā Pita Sharples revealed as Waiata Māori Awards 'Keeper of Tradition' award recipient

Sir Pita Sharples has been recognised for providing young urban Māori a haven to celebrate cultural identity. Photo / Paul Taylor

Organisers of the National Waiata Māori Music Awards have decided to "make the tough decision" to move the 2021 awards online and postpone them, again, due to the Covid pandemic.

The awards event was due to be held on September 10 in Hastings, but will now be held online on October 9.

"We plan to run it as an online, virtual event but still have a presence at Toitoi - Hawke's Bay Arts & Events Centre, the venue where we planned to run the awards event this year," said Waiata Māori Awards executive director Ellison Huata.

Huata said it would be a mixture of pre-recorded material and live performances for the virtual event which will be streamed online.

"We know a lot of people will be disappointed, we wanted this year's awards event to be a positive way to bring people through the challenges of 2020 and 2021," Huata said.

"We still want people to tune in to watch this year's awards event, to recognise and celebrate the achievements of our Māori singers, songwriters and performers."

Former politician, educator and kapa haka exponent Tā Pita Sharples was on Wednesday revealed as the recipient of the "Te Tohu Kaitiaki Tikanga Pūoru - Keeper of Tradition" iconic award.

The award recognises Sharples' lifelong contribution to the retention and promotion of traditional waiata, through not only education but also in his role establishing and leading Tāmaki-based kapa haka Te Roopū Manutaki which he set up in 1968.

Huata said Sharples had shown tremendous leadership throughout the years and for over half a century provided young urban Māori a haven to celebrate cultural identity.

"To honour Tā Pita this year at the Waiata Māori Awards is a celebration of his dedication and love of all things Māori," Huata said.

"Te Roopū Manutaki has given Aotearoa a wealth of iconic waiata Māori and his nomination was well supported."

Sharples, of Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngai Te Kikiri o te Rangi and Ngāti Pahauwera descent, was brought up in Waipawa and educated at Takapau Primary, Waipukurau District High School and Te Aute College.

He led the establishment of inter tribal marae Hoani Waititi in west Auckland and founded the country's first kura kaupapa Māori in 1985.

He was also the Māori Party co-leader from 2004 to 2013.