Moana Maree Maniapoto is a New Zealand singer, songwriter and documentary maker. Widely considered as one of New Zealand's most successful indigenous acts, her music is described as a fusion of traditional Māorihaka, chants and taonga puoro, with contemporary soul, reggae and classical styles. In 2016, Moana was inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame.
History
Maniapoto was born in Invercargill, New Zealand, and attended St Joseph's Māori Girls' College in Napier. She is said to have paid her way through law school by singing covers in the highly competitive Auckland club circuit. In 1987, Moana released "Kua Makona", as part of an effort to promote moderation to young Maori. The song was produced by Maui Dalvanius Prime and featured in the RIANZ Top 50 singles chart. Moana was briefly married to New Zealand politician and radio personalityWillie Jackson, during which time she was known as Moana Maniapoto-Jackson; they divorced in 2001. In 2002, Moana formed the band Moana and the Tribe which consisted of a large group of musicians and performers with a passion for Maori culture. Since their formation, the band has performed hundreds of international concerts, cementing their reputation as one of the most successful indigenous bands to emerge from New Zealand. Prior to 2002, Moana's former band, Moana & the Moahunters released two albums, Tahi and Rua. Their song Black Pearl reached no. 2 on the national charts in 1991, earning Moana her first gold. Moana won the grand prize at the 2003 International Songwriting Competition with her song "Moko". Moana has been described as ‘music of great depth and beauty’. 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. 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, 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. Moana released her fourth album Wha in May 2008. 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. Moana & the Tribe launched songs from their 5th album Rima in 2014 at Womad NZ, in a performance described in the NZ Herald as "the most powerful, enjoyable and important act on the mainstage at this years Womad in Taranaki." 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. 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. 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 Maori and Pacific online weekly newspapere-tangata. Moana is the presenter of the weekly current affairs television program Te Ao with Moana, which broadcasts at 8 pm every Monday on Māori Television and is currently in its second series.
