TAWAZ - Tātarakihi (Short Documentary Story)

Tawaz overcomes his creative struggles and rediscovers his passion for songwriting, crafting a waiata that carries the heartbeat of the whenua.
DOCUMENTARY SYNOPSIS: Tawaroa Kawana (Tawaz) embarks on a deeply personal journey to find his voice as an artist. After years of helping others create waiata reo Māori, he faces an unexpected struggle with writer's block. As he grapples with this creative challenge, he turns to the wisdom of his tīpuna and the healing power of Papatūānuku, seeking solace in the natural world around him. This leads to the creation of a powerful waiata that embodies the voices of his people and the land. It is a celebration of resilience, the importance of cultural identity, and the enduring power of te reo Māori.
BIO: Tawaroa Kawana (Rangitāne), known as Tawaz, is a dynamic Māori artist from Palmerston North. As a singer-songwriter, Tawaz passionately champions te reo Māori through his music, collaborating with renowned artists like Stan Walker, Jackson Owens, Sons of Zion, and more. His contributions to Māori music have been recognised with the prestigious Mana Reo and Best Māori Artist Te Manu Taki Māori o te Tau awards at this year's Aotearoa Music Awards. In addition to his artistic endeavours, Tawaz is a highly respected mātanga reo, offering his expertise to support other artists in translating and recording waiata reo Māori.
Credits:
Director
Taine Noble
Editor
Taine Noble
Director of Photography
Taine Noble
Production Accountant
Tessa Guildford
Post Production Facility
Department of Post
Executive Producer
Dame Hinewehi Mohi
Producers
Julia Parnell, Parehuia Mackay

[@arohaparata8631]

I’m so glad I found this video this song had been on repeat for my Tāne and I every since it came out and it’s so great to hear the background of it

[@rozh55]

Very interesting Arohanui from the UK.chur❤