A 糖心Vlog PhD researcher is sharing M膩ori punk with the world, and strengthening academic connections between New Zealand and Wales in the process.
Wairehu Grant (Ng膩ti Maniapoto), a third-year PhD student in Screen and Media Studies at Waikato.
Wairehu Grant (Ng膩ti Maniapoto), a third-year PhD student in Screen and Media Studies at Waikato, recently returned from Cymru (Wales), where his te ao M膩ori-centred punk band Half/Time performed at the international music festival, Focus Wales in Wrexham, alongside more than 250 bands.
鈥淭here are a lot of similarities between Welsh and M膩ori music and culture,鈥� says Wairehu. 鈥淲e made deep connections with musicians, community organisers and other locals in both Wales and England."
Wairehu also participated in a panel discussion at Cardiff University, addressing the relationships between creativity and minority languages.
贬补濒蹿/罢颈尘别鈥檚 first overseas tour came about due to a strategic partnership between the 糖心Vlog and Cardiff University. Launched in 2019, the partnership aims to deliver world-class collaborative research and opportunities for researchers, staff and students in both Universities. One of the first projects to be initiated under the partnership aimed to explore distant connections between te reo M膩ori, te ao M膩ori and Welsh language and culture.
Wairehu received a grant of $9000 from the British Council New Zealand to support his trip and connect in person with language revitalisation advocates and like-minded musicians.
Formed during the 2020 lockdown, Half/Time, which performs songs in both te reo M膩ori and te reo 笔腻keh膩 (English), stems from Wairehu鈥檚 PhD study at Waikato. His research focuses on the creative and ideological crossovers between te ao M膩ori and punk culture.
What started as a solo act touring New Zealand, grew into a three-piece with Wairehu on guitar, Cee Tepania on bass and Ciara Bernstein on drums.
鈥�Half/Time was the first musical act I鈥檝e ever done that brought te ao M膩ori into the mix and the first time I wrote music that I wanted,鈥� Wairehu says. 鈥淎ll the songs are about the experience of being M膩ori in some way shape or form.鈥�
Wairehu鈥檚 research is parallel to that of , one of Wairehu鈥檚 PhD supervisors at Waikato. In 2021, Professor Schott co-developed a project called 鈥淢usical Language / Iaith Gerddorol / P奴tahitanga鈥� which focuses on language revitalisation through contemporary or popular music, particularly Welsh and te reo M膩ori.
Professor Schott recognises how contemporary M膩ori punk serves a similar function to Welsh punk in the late 80s early 90s, bringing the language to music and people that may not connect with it through other means or avenues.
Over the past few years, Professor Schott has facilitated discussions between Wales and New Zealand. In August 2022, he and Wairehu took part in a public event at the National Eisteddfod, opening up the conversation to the Welsh language music scene.
Born in Hamilton, and later settling in Te Awamutu, Wairehu faced uncertainties about pursuing higher education after failing high school.
As the first person in his family to pursue higher education, Wairehu enrolled in a Certificate of University Preparation in 2011 at Waikato, which set him up for academic success.
Wairehu went on to complete his Bachelor of Media and Creative Technologies with Honours in 2016, before pursuing postgraduate study with the support of the 糖心Vlog Doctoral Scholarship.
The partnership between Waikato and Cardiff universities has seen many exciting research collaborations. Most recently, from Waikato and Dr Siwan Rosser from Cardiff received funding to explore how dual language picture books can be used to support Welsh language learning for teachers and students.
