Aotearoa Music Award for Best Māori Artist

Best Māori Artist is an Aotearoa Music Award that honours New Zealand music artists for outstanding recordings which reflect a unique Maori identity and/or are an expression of an artist’s Maori culture. The nominated work can be in te reo Maori, English or be bilingual.[1] The award is presented annually at the New Zealand Music Awards where the winner receives a Tui trophy.

The award was established in 1992 as Best Maori Album, however it was soon criticised for being too broad. The category was withdrawn in 1994 and 1995, and relaunched in 1996 as two separate categories: Best Mana Maori Album and Best Mana Reo Album. From 2004, the award reverted to only the Best Maori Album category.[2] In 2017 the award was changed to Best Maori Artist with the entry criteria changed to require either an album or a minimum of five single releases in the eligibility period. [3] The award was not presented in 2005, 2009 and 2010 due to insufficient entries.

In 2015, the presentation of the Best Maori Album award was not shown in the live broadcast, as the network cut to an ad break, resulting in complaints from viewers and musicians.[4]

## Recipients

[edit]

### Best Maori Album (1992 to 1993)

[edit]

Year  | Winner  | Album  | Other finalists  | Ref.

|
|
|
|

1992 | Moana and the Moahunters | AEIOU |

* John Rowles – E Te Tamaiti
* The Whanau Funksters – Funky Whanau Feeling

| [5]
1993 | Southside of Bombay | All Across the World |

* Hinewehi Mohi – Kia U
* Te Hei O Tahoka – Ahorangi Genesis

| [6]
1994 | No award presented  | [7]
1995 | No award presented  | [8]

### Best Mana Maori Album & Best Reo Maori Album (1996 to 2003)

[edit]

Year  | Award  | Winner  | Album  | Other finalists  | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|

1996 | Best Mana Maori Album  | Southside of Bombay with Mina Ripia  | "Kia Mau"  |

* Maree Sheehan – "Past to Present"
* Moana and the Moahunters – "Give it Up Now"
* Ruia – "Ka Tangi te Tiitii Ka Tangi to Kaakaa"

| [9]
Best Mana Reo Album  | Southside of Bombay with Mina Ripia  | "Kia Mau"  |

* Ruia – "Ka Tangi te Tiitii Ka Tangi te Kaakaa"
* Moana and the Moahunters – "Akona Te Reo '95"

1997 | Best Mana Maori Album  | Emma Paki | Oxygen of Love |

* DLT – The True School
* Dam Native – "Behold My Kool Style"

| [10]
Best Mana Reo Album  | St Joseph's Māori Girls' College | He Koha Waiata – A Gift of Song |

* Te Kura Tuatahi Me Te Ropu Kapahaka O Ranana – Te Wainui A Rua
* Turakina Maori Girls College – Mana Wahine

1998 | Best Mana Maori Album  | Te Matapihi  | Te Matapihi |

* Maori Volcanics – Kia Ora
* Dam Native – Kaupapa Driven Rhymes Uplifted

| [11]
Best Mana Reo Album  | St Joseph's Māori Girls' College | E Hine |

* The Willie Matthews Quartet – A Treasury of Maori Songs
* Nga Kura O Hananah – Nga Kura O Hananah

1999 | Best Mana Maori Album  | Moana and the Moahunters | Rua |

* Hori Chapman – Toku Reo
* Waihirere Maori Club – Waihirere: National Champions
* Ngati Rangiwewehi – Wairua: Spirit of Ngati Rangiwewehi

| [12]
Best Mana Reo Album  | Traditional Waiata  | He Waiata Onemata (Songs From the Past) |

* Ngati Rangiwewehi – Wairua: Spirit of Ngati Rangiwewehi
* Moana and the Moahunters – Rua
* Waihirere Maori Club – Waihirere National Champions

2000 | Best Mana Maori Album  | Southside of Bombay | Live In Aotearoa |

* Maisey Rika – 20 Favourite Maori Songs
* Hato Paora College – Hato Paora: 50 Years On

| [13]
Best Mana Reo Album  | Iwi  | Iwi |

* Maisey Rika – 20 Favourite Maori Songs
* Hato Paora College – Hato Paora: 50 Years On
* He Taonga Reo – Tahi/Rua

2001 | Best Mana Maori Album  | Wai  | Wai 100% |

* Ruia & Ranea – Whare Maori
* Big Belly Woman – Dance with the Wind

| [14]
Best Mana Reo Album  | Whirimako Black | Shrouded in The Mist/Hinepukohurangi |

* Ruia & Ranea – Whare Maori
* Wai – Wai 100%

2002 | Best Mana Maori Album  | Rangiatea  | Rangiatea Concert Party |

* Ruia and Ranea – Waiata of Bob Marley
* Te Ati Kimihia – Te Ati Kimihia and the Children of Tane

| [15]
Best Mana Reo Album  | Ruia and Ranea  | Waiata of Bob Marley |

* Brannigan Kaa – Taputapu
* T-Sistaz – Whakamanahia

2003 | Best Mana Maori Album  | Upper Hutt Posse  | Te Reo Maori Remixes |

* Soul Paua – Pohewa
* Mahinarangi Tocker – Hei Ha

| [16]
Best Mana Reo Album  | Ngahiwi Apanui  | E Tau Nei |

* Hareruia Aperama – Waiata of Bob Marley Vol 2
* Adam Whauwhau – He Hua O Roto

### Best Māori Album (2004 to 2016)

[edit]

Year  | Winner  | Album  | Other finalists  | Ref.

|
|
|
|

2004 | Ruia  | Hawaiki |

* Hirini Melbourne, Richard Nunns and Aroha Yates-Smith – Te Hekenga-a-rangi
* Whirimako Black – Tangihaku

| [17]
2005 | No award presented  | [18]
2006 | Te Reotakiwa Dunn  | Te Reotakiwa Dunn |

* Mahara Tocker – Hurricane's Eye
* Rodger Cunningham – Toto

| [19]
2007 | Richard Nunns & Hirini Melbourne | Te Whaiao: Te Ku Te Whe Remixed |

* Adam Whauwhau – Tukuna Mai
* Toi Hautu – Na Te Atua

| [20]
2008 | Ruia  | 12:24 Tekau Ma Rua – Rua Tekau Ma Wha |

* Moana and the Tribe – Wha
* Tiki Taane – Past, Present, Future

| [21]
2009 | No award presented  | [22]
2010 | No award presented  | [23]
2011 | Tiki Taane  | In the World of Light |

* Miss Black – Black Light
* Wai – Ora

| [24]
2012 | Ria Hall  | Ria Hall |

* Upper Hutt Posse – Declaration of Resistance
* Whirimako Black and Richard Nunns – Te More

| [25]
2013 | Maisey Rika | Whitiora |

* Kirsten Te Rito – Te Rito
* Ngatapa Black – I Muri Ahiahi

2014 | Rob Ruha | Tiki Tapu |

* House of Shem – Harmony
* Tama Waipara – Fill up the Silence

| [26]
2015 | Ranea  | Tihei Mauri Ora |

* Whaia and the Mahician – Whaia
* Moana and the Tribe – Rima

| [27]
2016 | Rob Ruha | Pumau |

* Kirsten Te Rito – Aiotanga
* Dennis Marsh – Maori Songbook 2

| [28]

### Best Māori Artist (2017 to present)

[edit]

Year  | Winner  | Other finalists  | Ref.

|
|
|

2017 | Teeks |

* Alien Weaponry
* Maisey Rika

| [29]
2018 | Troy Kingi |

* Alien Weaponry
* Katchafire

2019 | Troy Kingi & The Upperclass - Holy Colony Burning Acres |

* Louis Baker \- Open
* Rei - The Bridge

2020 | Maimoa \- Rongomaiwhiti |

* Ria Hall \- Manawa Wera
* Stan Walker

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "AWARDS JUDGED BY THE ACADEMY". NZMA. RMNZ. Archived from the original on 1 July 2014. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
2. ^ "Music show dumps Maori class". National Library. National Library. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
3. ^ "Nominations for 2017 Vodafone NZ Music Awards Open Today". Scoop. Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
4. ^ "Backlash after Māori award excluded from broadcast of Vodafone NZ Music Awards". Radio NZ. Radio NZ. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
5. ^ "1992 Winners". NZMA. RMNZ. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
6. ^ "1993 Winners". NZMA. RMNZ. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
7. ^ "1994 Winners". NZMA. RMNZ. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
8. ^ "1995 Winners". NZMA. RMNZ. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
9. ^ "1996 Winners". NZMA. RMNZ. Archived from the original on 18 April 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
10. ^ "1997 Winners". NZMA. RMNZ. Archived from the original on 18 April 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
11. ^ "1998 Winners". NZMA. RMNZ. Archived from the original on 18 April 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
12. ^ "1999 Winners". NZMA. RMNZ. Archived from the original on 18 April 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
13. ^ "200 Winners". NZMA. RMNZ. Archived from the original on 18 April 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
14. ^ "2001 Winners". NZMA. RMNZ. Archived from the original on 18 April 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
15. ^ "2002 Winners". NZMA. RMNZ. Archived from the original on 18 April 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
16. ^ "2003 Winners". NZMA. RMNZ. Archived from the original on 18 April 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
17. ^ "2004 Winners". NZMA. RMNZ. Archived from the original on 18 April 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
18. ^ "2005 Winners". NZMA. RMNZ. Archived from the original on 18 April 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
19. ^ "2006 Winners". NZMA. RMNZ. Archived from the original on 18 April 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
20. ^ "2007 Winners". NZMA. RMNZ. Archived from the original on 18 April 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
21. ^ "2008 Winners". NZMA. RMNZ. Archived from the original on 18 April 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
22. ^ "2009 Winners". NZMA. RMNZ. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
23. ^ "2010 Winners". NZMA. RMNZ. Archived from the original on 18 April 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
24. ^ "2011 Winners". NZMA. RMNZ. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
25. ^ "2012 Winners". NZMA. RMNZ. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
26. ^ "BEST MAORI ALBUM 2014". NZMA. RMNZ. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
27. ^ "BEST MAORI ALBUM 2015". NZMA. RMNZ.
28. ^ "BEST MAORI ALBUM 2016". NZMA. RMNZ. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
29. ^ "Lorde to perform at the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards". Radio NZ. Radio NZ. Retrieved 5 October 2017.

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Aotearoa Music Awards

Ceremonies|

* 1965
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Categories|

* Album of the Year
* Single of the Year
* Best Group
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* Breakthrough Artist of the Year
* Best Electronic Artist
* Best Hip Hop Artist
* Best Māori Artist
* Best Soul/RnB Artist
* Critics' Choice Prize
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* International Achievement
* Radio Airplay Record of the Year
* Highest Selling New Zealand Artist
* Legacy Award

| Artisan categories|

* Best Album Cover
* Best Music Video
* Best Engineer
* Best Producer

|

Related articles|

* Recorded Music NZ
* Loxene Golden Disc
* Recording Arts Talent Awards

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