| Te Vaka
is a New Zealand music group that performs original contemporary Pacific music. The group was founded in 1995 by Opetaia Foa'i in New Zealand. They received the "Best Pacific Music Album" award for their 2004 album Tutuki
from the New Zealand Music Awards.
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TE VAKA TICKETS
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History
Te Vaka is a group of twelve musicians and dancers from Tokelau, Samoa, Cook Islands and New Zealand. The principal songwriter, Opetaia Foa'i, was born in
Western Samoa to a father from
Tokelau and a mother from
Tuvalu. The group has created "a truly pan-Pacific sound" from this diverse heritage.
[1]
Te Vaka's music is "grounded in the rhythms of the Pacific by the use of
pate (single and double
log drums) and
pa'u (indigenous goat skin
conga and
bass drums)."
Most of their songs are written in the
Tokelauan language, with some also written in
Samoan and
Tuvaluan languages.
In 2004, they received the "Best Pacific Music Album" award for their album
Tutuki
from the New Zealand Music Awards.
[2] They have also been acclaimed by the BBC as "the world's most successful band playing original contemporary Pacific music."
Discography
Studio albums
- 1997 Te Vaka
(re-released in 2000 as South Seas: Te Vaka
with a bonus track)
- 1999 Ki Mua
- 2002 Nukukehe
- 2004 Tutuki
- 2007 Olatia
Featured appearances
The group have appeared on the following compilations.
- 2000 - Magic Of The South Seas
(ARC Music)
- 2001 - Gardens of Eden (Putumayo World Music) - "Tautai e"
- 2001 - Caterpillar Vo.4 (Ala Bianca) - "Pate Pate"
- 2002 - Soundtrack Album "Legend of Johnny Lingo" - "Tamahana," "Ki mua," "Manatu"
- 2002 - La Compil Choc Vol. 2
(Mangrove Music) - "Pate Pate"
- 2000 - Rough Guide to World Music Vo.ll
(World Music Network) - "Pate Pate"
- 2003 - WOMAdelaide Real World Records - "Nukukehe"
- 2003 - BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music (Union Square Music) - "Alamagoto"
- 2004 - South Pacific Islands
(Putumayo World Music) - "Iuliana," "Sei Ma Le Losa," "Haloa Olohega" & "Nukekehe"
- 2006 - TFM 2006
(Living Works Trust) - "Pate Pate"
References
- Te Vaka
- 2004 Winners