8 Nov 2019

VIDEO PREMIERE: Kaaterama ‘Te Whetu Mārama’ 

From RNZ Music, 10:00 am on 8 November 2019

RNZ Music is proud to present the new video from one of Aotearoa’s brightest gospel talents, Kaaterama. ‘Te Whetu Mārama’ is from her 2018 debut, Shine Your Light.

Kaaterama (Ngāpuhi, Te Arawa) was raised in the Rātana Church. Her video for ‘Te Whetu Mārama’ celebrates 101 years of maramatanga – 101 years since Rātana’s mass gathering at Rātana Pa on November 8, 1918.

Te Whetū Mārama, sung te reo Māori, is composed by Te Taepa Kameta. Kaaterama is backed by kapa group Te Reanga Mōrehu o Rātana. The song is meant as an expression of “their undeniable love for their maramatanga”.

“I feel a strong connection to my church Te Haahi Ratana,” says Kaaterama, “[It] has given me strength, inspiration and courage throughout my life and indeed musical journey so far”.

'Te Whetū Mārama' or 'The Star in the Moon', is a symbol of the Rātana Church. The five point star and its colours have significant spiritual meaning to the Ratana people.

“The importance of te reo in my music is not only to promote, but to encourage all people of Aotearoa to embrace and learn our amazing language and tikanga.”

Kaaterama started her music career as part of M-POP (Māori pop) group Maimoa Music. Kaaterama has featured in the Māori TV series Voices of the Future and was a mentor for young artists in the Māori TV series Uruwhetu, a Maori music youth development show. 

This year Kaaterama was one of just five Kiwi artists to be awarded a songwriter’s scholarship at Parachute Music Studio in Auckland.

Kaaterama is set to release more music in the new year.

Related:
  • Kaaterama Pou on her debut EP Shine Your Light
  • VIDEO PREMIERE: 'He Iti' by Kaaterama Pou
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