Moana (singer)

Maniapoto was born in Invercargill, New Zealand,{{cite web|title=The Arts Foundation : Moana Maniapoto – Biography|url=https://www.thearts.co.nz/artist_page.php&aid=32&type=bio|publisher=The Arts Foundation|accessdate=27 July 2013}} and attended St Joseph's Māori Girls' College in Napier.{{cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10473865&pnum=0|title=Singing the same song|last=Bridgeman|first=Shelley |date=4 November 2007|work=The New Zealand Herald|accessdate=16 February 2010}} She completed her secondary school education at McKillop College, Rotorua.Malcolm Mulholland, "St Joseph's Maori Girls' College, Huia, Wellington, 2022, p. 234. She is said to have paid her way through Auckland law school by singing covers in the highly competitive Auckland club circuit. Maniapoto was raised Roman Catholic, with her cousin Max Mariu being the first Māori bishop. However during her college years Maniapoto began to question her Catholic beliefs, and abandoned them entirely after the birth of her children. She now considers herself a follower of traditional Māori spirituality.{{Cite web|title=Moana Maniapoto: Losing my religion|url=https://e-tangata.co.nz/reflections/moana-maniapoto-losing-my-religion/|website=e-tangata.co.nz|date=22 April 2018|accessdate=19 October 2020}}

In 1986, Moana debuted as a solo artist and released "Kua Makona" as a part of a campaign for the Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand. The song was produced by Maui Dalvanius Prime and peaked at number 27 on the RIANZ singles chart. In 1989, Moana formed Moana and the Moahunters with Teremoana Rapley and Mina Ripia.

In 1990, Moana and the Moahunters released "Black Pearl" which peaked at number 2 on the national charts in 1991, earning Moana her first gold.

In 1991, Moana and the Moahunters released "AEIOU (Akona Te Reo)" ({{langx|en|Learn the Language}}), which combined rap with traditional Māori song. The lyrics of the single urged Māori youth to work to preserve their culture and traditions, learn about their history, and for all New Zealanders to learn the Māori language.{{Cite journal| doi = 10.24135/tekaharoa.v9i1.12| issn = 1178-6035| volume = 9| issue = 1| last = Sheehan| first = Maree| title = Mana Wahine: Māori Women in Music| journal = Te Kaharoa| accessdate = 15 February 2022| date = 2 February 2016| url = https://ojs.aut.ac.nz/te-kaharoa/index.php/tekaharoa/article/view/12| doi-access = free}} The song was nominated for several awards in 1991.Maxwell, Ian. "Sydney Stylee: Hip-Hop Down Under Comin’ Up." In Global Noise: Rap and Hip-Hop Outside the USA, 259–279. Middletown: Wesleyan University Press, 2001. The band released their debut album Tahi in August 1993.{{cite web|title=Moana and the Tribe – New Zealand Musicians & Bands|url=http://www.muzic.net.nz/artists/671/moana-and-the-tribe|publisher=muzic.net.nz|accessdate=27 July 2013}}

The band's second album, Rua, combined pop, hip-hop and Māori music. The songs on the album dealt with themes such as spirituality and prophecy, and the album cover used traditional Māori symbols. Other songs discussed colonial issues, such as the Treaty of Waitangi, signed between the Māori people and the British government in the 1840s.{{cite web| author=Anne-Marie de Bruin | url= http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/article_1952.shtml| title = Moana and the Maori Culture | access-date=8 April 2008}} The group scored a gold record in New Zealand and a hit single. Moana retired the group after performing at the 1998 Vancouver Folk Festival.

Moana and the Moahunters were well known for pioneering a distinctively Māori form of popular music, during a period when Māori language and culture was not as widely accepted or promoted as today. The band had a significant influence due to their style and message to the public.{{Cite web |url=http://www.tangata.co.nz/moana.html |title=Tangata Records – Moana |access-date=11 April 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080117203356/http://www.tangata.co.nz/moana.html |archive-date=17 January 2008 |url-status=dead }} Besides their music, the group was well-known for their use of the traditional Māori haka. During concerts they projected images behind them related to the Māori people, such as the New Zealand landscape or traditional Māori tā moko tattooing.

Although they rap mostly in English, as most Māori youth did not speak much Māori in the early 1990s, the group's lyrics emphasise the necessity of studying their history and culture. When the group received a New Zealand Music Industry award in 1992, they accused the New Zealand radio of racism against Māori groups, whose music was categorised as "underground" and refused airtime by DJs.Mitchell, Tony. "Kia Kaha! (Be Strong!): Maori and Pacific Islander Hip-hop in Aotearoa-New Zealand." In Global Noise: Rap and Hip-Hop Outside the USA, ed. Tony Mitchell, 280–305. Middletown: Wesleyan University Press, 2001.

File:Horizonte 2013 1877.JPG (2013) in Koblenz (Germany)]]

In 2002, Moana formed the band Moana and the Tribe which consisted of a large group of musicians and performers with a passion for Māori culture. Since their formation, the band has become one of the most successful indigenous bands to emerge from New Zealand.{{cite web|title=Moana Maniapoto – Profile|url=http://www.moananz.com/biography.html|accessdate=27 July 2013}}

In May 2008, Moana released Wha. She toured in 2008 and 2009 Germany, Australia, Netherlands, Turkey, New Zealand and performed at the opening of the Biennale in Venice / Italy in June 2009.{{citation needed|date=December 2010}} Moana & the Tribe launched songs from their 5th album Rima in 2014 at Womad NZ.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

In 2014, Moana and her band formed the Boomerang Collaboration with Scottish band Breabach, Shellie Morris, Casey Donovan and Djakapurra, playing concerts at Womad NZ, Sydney Opera House and HebCelt (Scotland). Rima was a finalist at the 2015 Vodafone NZ Music Awards and the song "Upokohue" was a finalist in the APRA Maioha Award. It won 2nd place in the World category at the International Songwriting Contest.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

Moana is one half of an award-winning film-making team led by her partner and band member Toby Mills. Their documentary work includes Guarding the Family Silver, which screened in the National Geographic All Roads Film Festival and The Russians are Coming, which played at the Sydney Opera House during the Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival in 2012.

She is also a regular writer for the Māori and Pacific online weekly newspaper e-tangata.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

Moana is the presenter of the weekly current affairs television programme Te Ao with Moana, which broadcasts at 8 pm every Monday on Māori Television and is currently in its third series.{{cite web|title=Te Ao with Moana|url=https://www.maoritelevision.com/shows/te-ao-moana|accessdate=15 August 2021}}

Moana won the grand prize at the 2003 International Songwriting Competition with her song "Moko".{{Cite web|title=ISC is pleased to announce the 2003 winners |publisher=International Songwriting Competition |url=http://www.songwritingcompetition.com/winners2003.htm |accessdate=17 December 2003 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20051213102228/http://www.songwritingcompetition.com/winners2003.htm |archivedate=13 December 2005 }} In 2003, New Zealand Herald described Moana's music as "music of great depth and beauty".{{cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=3523194|title=Moana: Toru|last=Reid|first=Graham|date=12 September 2003|work=The New Zealand Herald|accessdate=16 February 2010}}

In the 2004 Queen's Birthday Honours, Moana was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to Māori and music.{{cite web |url=https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/queens-birthday-honours-list-2004 |title=Queen's Birthday honours list 2004 |date=7 June 2004 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |accessdate=30 May 2020}} She is also a Life Time Recipient of the Toi Iho Māori Made Mark and received the 2005 Te Tohu Mahi Hou a Te Waka Toi Award from Te Waka Toi (Creative N.Z.), in recognition of her outstanding leadership and contribution to the development of new directions in Māori art. Moana received a Music Industry Award at the Maori Waiata 2008 Awards, also for her positive contribution to Māori Music.

At the 2019 Taite Music Prize awards, Moana and the Moahunters won the seventh annual Independent Music NZ Classic Record award for Tahi, 26 years after its release.{{cite news |title=Moana and the Moahunters to receive NZ Classic Record Award |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/nat-music/audio/2018688130/moana-and-the-moahunters-to-receive-nz-classic-record-award |access-date=11 February 2025 |publisher=RNZ |date=26 March 2019}}

The Aotearoa Music Awards (previously known as New Zealand Music Awards (NZMA)) are an annual awards night celebrating excellence in New Zealand music and have been presented annually since 1965.

{{awards table}}

! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

|-

|rowspan="2"| 1987 || Moana – "Kua Makona" || Polynesian of the Year || {{nom}} ||rowspan="15"| {{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusicawards.nz/award-history/|title=Aotearoa Music Awards|website=aotearoamusicawards.nz|access-date=22 August 2021|archive-date=25 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025201023/https://aotearoamusicawards.nz/award-history/|url-status=dead}}

|-

| Moana || Most Promising Female|| {{won}}

|-

|1988 || Moana Moahunters|| Polynesian of the Year|| {{nom}}

|-

|rowspan="2"| 1989 || Moana & The Moahunters – "Pupurutia" || Polynesian of the Year|| {{nom}}

|-

| Moana Jackson || Female of the Year || {{nom}}

|-

|rowspan="4"|1992 || Moana & The Moahunters – "A.E.I.O.U." || Māori of the Year|| {{won}}

|-

| Moana Jackson || Female of the Year || {{nom}}

|-

| Teremoana Rapley – Moana & The Moahunters/MC OJ || Most Promising Female || {{won}}

|-

| Moana & The Moahunters – "A.E.I.O.U." || Music Video of the Year || {{nom}}

|-

|rowspan="2"|1996 || Moana and The Moahunters – "Give it Up Now" || Mana Māori of the Year|| {{nom}}

|-

| Moana and The Moahunters – "Akona te Reo '95" || Mana Reo || {{nom}}

|-

|rowspan="2"|1999 || Moana and The Moahunters – Rua || Mana Māori of the Year|| {{won}}

|-

| Moana and The Moahunters – Rua || Mana Reo || {{nom}}

|-

| 2008 || Moana & the Tribe – Wha || Māori of the Year|| {{nom}}

|-

| 2015 || Moana & the Tribe – Rima || Māori of the Year|| {{nom}}

|-

| 2016 || Moana || New Zealand Music Hall of Fame || {{yes2|inductee}} || {{cite web |url= https://www.musichall.co.nz/home/inductees/ |title=Inductees |website=www.musichall.co.nz |publisher=New Zealand Music Hall of Fame Trust |access-date=16 August 2021}}

|-

{{end}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.nzonscreen.com/person/moana-maniapoto/biography Moana Maniapoto] at NZ On Screen
• {{IMDb name|7288046|Moana Maniapoto}}

{{Arts Foundation Laureate Award}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Moana}}

Category:1961 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century New Zealand women singers

Category:New Zealand Māori women singers

Category:Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit

Category:20th-century New Zealand women singers

Category:People educated at St Joseph's Māori Girls' College

Category:New Zealand former Christians

Category:Former Roman Catholics

Category:Māori-language singers

Category:Jackson family (New Zealand)

Category:People educated at John Paul College, Rotorua