Words by: Tūheitia Young (He/him - Ngāti Maniapoto)
There are many appreciative waiata out there; regardless of whether you agree or disagree, these are for sure on top. Most of these are those who are thankful for a significant other. Whether that be whānau, iwi, tāngata, tūpuna, partner etc. This is shown through various ways of beautiful poetry and elaboration of words, mixed with deep emotions of love, appreciation, great-fullness and all that. Especially in waiata reo māori, those who are in deep pain or love for their significant other or even your iwi anthems showing aroha for wherever you're from.
Tuatahi: Proud to be Māori - illumiNGĀTI.
no matter how far you may be in your te ao māori haerenga, I hope this is a waiata all māori can relate to. This waiata is appreciative in that those who are māori are proud of who they are and are grateful for those who have gone before them. Their tūpuna, ancestors who had gone before us and fought their way to allow us to be where we are right now. Such as writing a journal piece in te reo māori, written by māori, supported by māori and from those all around the motu. This waiata speaks for itself; we should all appreciate and be proud to be māori.
Haere mai ki ahau ki maniapoto - na Doug Ruki.
ko taku tino waiata māori/anthem nei. Ko haere mai ki ahau ki maniapoto, nā doug ruki. tēnei anthem e mōhiotia ana tēnei e tāngata katoa na te mea, kei reira. ko ngāti maniapoto kei reira hoki. e kōrero ana tēnei, ka hoki no ki te rohe o waikato/te kuiti/ oto’s/ hoki engari e ai ki te kōrero hoki e kōrero ana tēnei mō te haerenga o maniapoto rātou ko rātou mā i tō rātou kāinga ki ngāherenga; ka mutu e kōrero ana tēnei mō te rohe o te nehenehenui hoki. ēnei whakaaro e kōrero ana mō te maiohatanga o mātou iwi, mō te whenua, ngā awa, ngā tāngata, tō mātou Maniapoto tanga hoki. nāku, i āwhinatia au i taku hononga ki tāku iwi e ēnei waiata na te mea e āwhinatia ana i ako ō mātou mātauranga/pūrākau/tino wāhi hoki. heoi ano kei te tino maiohatanga au tēnei waiata, he tino onn. ko tāku whainga ka akonga ngā waiata katoa o maniapoto, me akonga koe hoki tuhei is a bitch
No roots - l.a.b.
In te ao māori, whakapapa is our connection and indicator of being māori. Without whakapapa, our culture would not be as strong as it was or how it is today; this is highlighted by l.a.b in "no roots". No root, no culture. Appreciating our roots and culture plays a huge part in identity for māori such as waiata, haka, tikanga etc. It is not only appreciating the present, but our past being our tūpuna. Our tūpuna, those who have gone before us and are our connection/whakapapa to being māori. Appreciation of our roots is also shown for our whenua and awa such as the "tōtara tree" and connection to the awa as a child. Showing our strong relationship to te taiao. This message should be kept with everyone, not only māori. He tino powerful.
Tuarua: To summer, from Cole (audio hug) - Summer Walker + J.cole.
This song is a more popular/basic/well-known one. Part 1 showed how great of an artist J. Cole is. This one being such a ātaahua song, an audio hug couldn't be a better way to describe it. Summer Walker's return from her pregnancy is the main reason for the writing of this song. It is j.cole, in a way, admiring, thanking her and congratulating her for being who she is in her (Sza hoki) mana wahine and what she has accomplished; despite those days of feeling alone and all the hard times she has been through, we are appreciative for all summer walkers mahi put into her music.
Tuawha: To Zion - Ms Lauryn Hill.
elaborating on Ms Lauryn Hill's greatness from 'top 5' to Zion is her appreciation for the birth of her son, Zion. Like j.coles, she's mine pt.1/2 relating to his daughter, Zion goes through her overwhelming time having a child as a wahine in the music industry, having been told to choose her amazing career or her child. It is described in the song Lauryn Hill's decision to have both. Her joy now is in her son Zion. Her song goes over how amazing it is to have Zion in her life and her gratefulness for him and the man above. This waiata shows appreciation from Lauryn Hill to Zion and how her joy of life has now been put into her child. This is something to take away from this waiata and something I hope we can all experience, having joy and showing appreciation towards your own child/children.
Appreciation for yourself: know that you are loved - Cleo sol.
Ms Cleo Sol couldn't have made a more rawe song than "Know now that you are loved". The appreciation aspect of this song is more related to self-appreciation. Not only this, he tino peaceful/ calm tēnei waiata. Knowing that even when you feel you aren't happy with yourself or appreciated by anyone, you are loved. It's important we keep these whakaaro in mind and we understand ourselves for who we are, despite other people's whakaaro. This kōrero is repeated throughout the waiata, and the main take of this is to repeat this whakaaro of appreciation with you. There could not have been a more beautiful way to emphasise this message.
Appreciation for an artist: I found my smile again - D'angelo.
Appreciation must be given to all of these artists. One in particular that deserves recognition for their waiata is D'Angelo. This song, "I found my smile again", brings such a positive wairua and is appreciative toward the person who has put a smile on his face again. Despite being unsure of how his person is making him feel this way, it's something that he has been longing for and is thankful for, wanting for these feelings to continue. This song can be interpreted in the way of not only a person but for whatever you love. Whether it's something you enjoy, a hobby, a physical object, or whatever puts that smile on your face and brings you happiness. We must appreciate and be grateful for it. This whakaaro is a way to help you enjoy the enjoyable things in life even more and be grateful for where you are right now. Pūoro me ngā whakaaro
(Nā: Tūheitia Young - He/him - Ngāti Maniapoto)
He maha ngā waiata pai i te ao; ahakoa kei te whakaae, kei te whakahē rānei koe, kei runga noa atu ēnei waiata, kei runga noa atu a Maniapoto hoki. He whakamihi atu ki tētahi tangata kura te nuinga o ēnei waiata. Ahakoa e kōrero ana koe mō tō whānau, mō te iwi, mō te tāngata, mō te tūpuna, mō te hoa rangatira mō te aha atu rānei. Ka whakaatuhia tēnei i roto i ētahi ruri ātaahua me te whakawhanui o ngā kupu, kua tuituia e ngā kare ā-roto patopato o te whatumanawa; inarā i ngā waiata Māori. Mā ēnei waiata Māori e whakaahua te tangipuku me te muri aroha mō tētahi atu tangata. Whaihoki, mā ngā waiata nei e tuku aroha ki ō ake tūrangawaewae.
Tutahi: Proud to be Māori - Nā illumiNGĀTi
Ahakoa kei hea koe i runga i tō haerenga Māori, ko te wawata e honohono kau ana te iwi Māori katoa ki te mea nei. He whakamihi tēnei waiata ki ngā tāngata e tū kaha ana hei Māori, me ngā tūpuna i whakawhārikihia te ara i ngā wā o mua. Nā ō tātou tūpuna i tohe mō tō tātou āpōpō, arā ko te tuhituhi o te pukapuka rātaka i te reo Māori, kua tuhia e te tāngata Māori, kua tautokohia e te iwi Māori me te marea whānui huri noa i te motu. E kōrero ana tēnei waiata mōna anō; tō ngākau ki ngā taonga a ō tūpuna.
Haere mai ki ahau ki Maniapoto - Nā Doug Ruki
Ko taku tino waiata Māori ko ‘Haere mai ki ahau ki Maniapoto’, nā Doug Ruki. E mōhiotia ana tēnei waiata e te katoa i te mea, kei runga noa atu te waiata, kei runga noa atu a Ngāi Maniapoto hoki. Ko te take o te waiata nei ko te hokinga kāinga ki te rohe o Maniapoto, arā ko Te Kuiti me Ōtorohanga. Whaihoki, e ai ki ngā kōrero ā-iwi ko tēnei he kōrero anō mō te haerenga a Maniapoto i tō mātou ake kāinga ki Ngaherenga. Ka mutu, e kōrero ana tēnei mō te rohe tūpuna ko Te Nehenehenui, mai i te awa whakarite ki Tongariro, ko Te Nehenehnui. Nā tēnei waiata i kōrero mō tō maiohatanga o tō mātou iwi, ō mātou whenua, ō mātou uri whakaheke me tō mātou Maniapototanga anō hoki. Ki a au, nā ēnei waiata i āwhina mai ki te ako mō tō mātou mātauranga, ō mātou pūrākau, ō mātou wāhi tūpuna anō hoki. Heoi anō, e tino ngākaunui ana ana ahau ki tēnei waiata, he tino onn. Ko tāku whāinga matua ko te ako i ngā waiata katoa o Maniapoto, me ako hoki koe i ngā waiata nei!
No Roots - L.A.B
I te ao Māori, ko te whakapapa te tohu o te tāngata Māori. Ki te kore he whakapapa, ka mate te ahurea. Kua tīpakohia tēnei e L.A.B i tā rātou waiata “No Roots”. Mēnā kāhore he pakiaka, kāhore hoki he ahurea. Ko te whakamana o ō tātou pakiaka tētahi wāhanga tino nui o te tuakiritanga o te iwi Māori, arā ko te waiata, ko te haka, ko ō tātou tikanga, te mea te mea. Kia kaua tātou e whakamaioha i ēnei wā anake, me whakamaioha i ngā mahi o mua me ngā tūpuna i mahia taua mahi, i tū hei poupou i waenganui i a tātou me te hononga ki tō tātou ake whakapapa Māori. Ki te whakamaioha i ō tātou pakiaka, he mihi ki ngā mea o te taiao, arā ko te “rākau tōtara” me ngā awa o ō tātou tamarikitanga. Koinei he tohu o tō tātou hononga ki te taiao. He karere tēnei mō te katoa, ehara mō te iwi Māori anake.
Tuarua: To Summer, From Cole (audio hug) - Nā Summer Walker rāua ko J.Cole.
He waiata noa tēnei e mōhio whānuitia ana e te katoa. Wāhanga 1: i whakaatu te kaiwaiata nui a J. Cole, i te mea he waiata ātaahua tēnei, kāore e kore ko te ‘audio hug’ te whakaāhua tika mō tēnei waiata. Ko te hokinga mai a Summer Walker whai muri atu i tōna hapūtanga te take matua o tāna tuhi i tēnei waiata. Nei rā he whakanui, he whakawhetai hoki nā J. Cole ki a Summer Walker mō tōna ake āhuatanga (SZA hoki), mō tōna mana wahine me ōna whakatutukitanga kua ea. Ahakoa ngā wā pōuriuri me ngā wā heke, ka maioha mātou i a Summer Walker i tana mahi waiata.
Tuawha: To Zion - Ms Lauryn Hill.
E Whai muri ana i te angitūtanga o Ms Lauryn Hill mai ‘Top 5’ ki ‘Zion’, ko tōna maiohatanga i te whakawhanau mai o tana tama ko Zion. He ōrite ki te mihi o J. Cole. ki tana hine i te waiata ‘She’s Mine pt. ½’. Ka kōrero tēnei waiata mō ngā uaua o Lauryn ki te ao waiata i a ia e hapū ana, ahakoa he Māmā, ahakoa he kaiwata rongonui rānei. I whakatau a Lauryn i te waiata nei, ka kōwhiri ia i ngā mea e rua. Nā Zion tōna harikoatanga. E kōrero ana te waiata nei mō te rawe o tana tamaiti, me tana maiohatanga mōna me te Atua pai ki te rangi hoki. He whakamihi maioha tēnei nā Lauryn Hill ki a Zion i te harikoa kua tāpirihia e tana tamaiti. Ko tēnei he hua nui nā te waiata, ko tētahi wheako nui ka pīrangihia e au mō te katoa; kia hari, kia koa, kia tuku aroha ki ā tātou tamariki.
Appreciation for yourself: Know that you are loved - Nā Cleo Sol.
Tē taea a Ms Cleo Sol te mahi i tētahi waiata he nui ake i “Know now that you are loved.” Ko te wāhanga maiohatanga o te waiata nei ko te hononga ki te whakanui i a koe anō. Ehara tērā mea anake, he tino rangamārie, he tino ngāwari anō hoki tēnei waiata. Ki te mōhio koe kāore he harikoa ō piropiro, kāore ano kia whiwhi maiohatanga nā tētahi atu, e arohatia ana koe. Ko te mea nui me pūpuri tātou ki ēnei whakaaro akiaki, ā, me mārama koe i a koe, ahakoa ngā whakaaro o ētahi atu. Kua toaitia tēnei take i te waiata, nā reira ko te hua nui kia kawe i ēnei whakaaro akiaki i a koe. Kāore he kupu ātaahua anō hei whakakupu i te kōrero nei.
Appreciation for an artist: I found my smile again - D’Angelo
Me tuku maioha ki ēnei kaiwata katoa. Ko tētahi tino kaiwaiata me whiwhi whakamihi mō ana waiata ko D’Angelo. Ko tēnei waiata, “I found my smile again”, e kawe ana he wairua pai, ā, he whakamihi atu ki tētahi tangata kua whakamenemenetia koe. Ahakoa kāore ia e mārama ana me pēhea te tangata e whakaharikoa ana i a ia, he mea kua matenuihia e ia mō te haere tonu o ēnei kare ā-roto mākoha. Ehara te take o tēnei waiata mō te tāngata anake, engari kē e kōrero ana hoki mō tētahi atu mea e aroha ana koe. Ahakoa ko tētahi mea e whakaharikoa, he runaruna, he mea, he aha atu rānei e whakamanemenetia koe, e whakaharikoa koe anō hoki. Me maioha, me whakawhetai mō te pūtake. Koinei he whakaaro ki te āwhina i a koe hei whakawhetai i ngā mō tō ao i ēnei rā.