Nau Mai E Kā Hua

Ariana Tikao | Al Fraser

Available to DOWNLOAD or as a PRINT-ON-DEMAND CD

An evocative sonic journey through the pristine waters of Te Wai Pounamu, Nau Mai e Kā Hua, is the first duo album by Ariana Tikao and Al Fraser, two leading players of ngā taonga puoro. The album features improvisations and spoken word, with waiata and the expressive voices of ngā taonga puoro interwoven like the strands of braided rivers.

Ariana Tikao (voice, taonga puoro)
Al Fraser (taonga puoro)
Hirini Melbourne (additional taonga puoro on Amokura)

Produced by Al Fraser
Recorded by Al Fraser at The Chicken Coop and Lee Prebble at The Surgery
Mixed and mastered by Steve Garden
Cover Artwork by Tony Bridge ‘Te Korowai o Tangaroa’
Photograph of Ariana and Al by Sam Palmer
Designed by UnkleFranc
Printed by Studio Q

All compositions by Ariana Tikao and Al Fraser © 2020, except Ka taka te mötoi and E moko e by Ariana Tikao © 2020, Amokura by Hirini Melbourne and Ariana Tikao © 2020, and Homai tö poho by Kuini Moehau Reedy © 2020

Thanks to Lilburn Trust, Jan Melbourne and the Melbourne whānau, Kuini Moehau Reedy, our whānau and friends, including members of Haumanu who continue the taonga puoro revival.

Kā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa.

Released: 18 November 2020
Catalogue: RAT-D106

Since first playing together at the Pao Pao Pao festival in 2008, Ariana Tikao and Al Fraser have performed regularly throughout Aotearoa, including performances with Stroma, NZ String Quartet, and Richard Nunns.

Nau Mai e Kā Hua was recorded over an extended perios at Al’s home studio and Wellington’s The Surgery. It contains a mix of waiata and instrumental works composed by Ariana and Al, as well as pieces by prominent composers such as Matua Hirini Melbourne (Amokura, co-written by Ariana and Hirini), and Kuini Moehau Reedy (Homai tō Poho). Amokura features archival recordings of taonga pūoro performances by Matua Hirini Melbourne that were masterfully incorporated into the recordings by Rattle’s Steve Garden.

Water in te Ao Māori signifies life and identity. Ariana and Al both grew up in Te Wai Pounamu (the South Island of New Zealand) and are now Wellington-based. Their music is inspired by ancestral kōrero and the natural world. ‘Nau Mai e Kā Hua’ is a sung karakia acknowledging atua presiding over various realms.

This release was made possible with support from the Lilburn Trust.

Ariana Tikao bio

Alistair Fraser bio