Ngā Oro me Ngā Iere by Te Kahautu Maxwell

Ngā Oro me Ngā Iere by Te Kahautu Maxwell is an ambitious and deeply moving celebration of waiata as living history, artistic expression and communal memory. Emerging from a landmark collaboration between Ōpōtiki Mai Tāwhiti kapa haka and the Auckland Philharmonia, the book and accompanying audio collection document a creative partnership that feels both grounded in tikanga Māori and boldly expansive in its musical vision.

Structured around twelve waiata, the work traces key moments in the history of Ōpōtiki Mai Tāwhiti while also reaching outward to whenua, whakapapa and collective experience. Each piece carries its own narrative weight, shaped by specific places, events and relationships, yet together they form a cohesive portrait of a kapa haka legacy that has been built through discipline, creativity and intergenerational knowledge.

The people behind the project are brought vividly to life through their reflections. Maxwell’s editorial approach ensures that composers, performers and collaborators speak for themselves, revealing the care, debate and aspiration involved in merging kapa haka with orchestral sound. These perspectives add depth to the work, foregrounding the human relationships that underpin the collaboration and resisting any sense of spectacle for its own sake.

The curated collection is both elegant and purposeful. The bilingual presentation affirms te reo Māori as central rather than supplementary, while ensuring accessibility for a wide readership. Explanations of each waiata are clear without being reductive, offering insight into lyrical choices, musical structure and performance contexts. The inclusion of QR codes linking to live recordings enhances the experience, encouraging readers to move fluidly between text and sound and reinforcing the inseparability of waiata from performance.

As a cultural artefact, Ngā Oro me Ngā Iere holds considerable significance. It models what respectful, artist-led collaboration can look like between Māori musical traditions and Western orchestral forms, without diluting the integrity of either. More than documentation, it is an assertion of continuity and innovation, demonstrating how waiata can honour the past while resonating powerfully in contemporary spaces. For readers, listeners and practitioners alike, this is a work that invites close attention and sustained appreciation.

Reviewer: Chris Reed

Huia Publishers