24 February 2023 - 0 Comments

Aspiring to unite Aotearoa in aroha, Origin Roots Aotearoa (O.R.A) has released Nui Te Aroha, the singalong anthem setting the tone for their upcoming album.

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O.R.A frontman Eugene Temara (Ngāi Tūhoe, Raukawa ki Wharepuhunga, Waikato, Te Arawa) says with the current devastation from Cyclone Gabrielle and the Auckland Floods, this waiata is exactly what the motu needs right now and reflects how communities are coming together in aroha to uplift those in need.

“The past three years have been a rollercoaster for many, with māuiui, deaths, fear, anxiety, mental health struggles and misinformation rife in our communities.

“We were inspired by Where Is The Love? by the Black Eyed Peas. We feel like Aotearoa needs a rallying waiata to unite us in our shared humanity and hiki wairua - uplift spirits.”

The upbeat track is a fusion of Kiwi roots, reggae, RnB and pop, and features a strong beat and vocals, uplifting melody, catchy lyrics in te reo Māori, and a rap bridge – all culminating into a final chorus of clapping and harmonies.

“As live performance is important to our kaupapa, the track was written with performance and community in mind. Nui Te Aroha should get everyone off their seats, clapping their hands, and singing along.”

Temara, who is an original founding member of O.R.A and a kaiako reo Māori, says the waiata is for everyone - young and old, Māori and non-Māori.

“We want our music to be a gateway into te reo Māori, promoting and normalising this taonga through waiata.”

The waiata opens with the line “Arohanui ki te tangata ahakoa ko wai,”, which has a sentiment of sending love to all, no matter who.

A line repeated in the pre-chorus is, “He aroha whakatō, he aroha puta mai” which is a kīwaha/whakataukī meaning if kindness is sown, then kindness you shall receive.

The waiata reo Māori was written to address a lack of compassion and whanaungatanga the band noticed across the motu in early 2022 during the Parliament protests in Pōneke.

O.R.A has a strong kaupapa to bring their mātapono/values of aroha and angitu (excellence) to one community at a time across Aotearoa through waiata reo Māori and mātauranga. This grassroots approach has seen the band perform in five communities over summer, including Tauranga, Opononi, Rotorua, Kaitaia, and Lower Hutt.

The band’s third studio album is set for release on March 17. Nui Te Aroha is available now on all streaming platforms.

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