Riqi Harawira- Creative Native

<a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1aZoj2ma5pWCaEtTXzgAGiuOTTnUqPMkA?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow">RIQI'S EPK</a>

21/12/2021

Rock

Riqi Harawira

Hawkes bay

RIQI HARAWIRA ~ BIOGRAPHY   Riqi Harawira has shared stages with some of the biggest acts, Guns N Roses, Pearl Jam to name a few. The former lead guitarist and co-songwriter for Dead Flowers. He has collaborated with numerous kiwi artists across his career such as Kings, Stellar, DLT, Che Fu and Dam Native. Riqi Harawira is a Māori fusion artist and a guitar virtuoso with a slick baritone vocal range, and Riqi has the personality and wisdom to drive his music and messages home. Immersed in music from a young age, his father, Rangi Hadfiled (Paeoterangi Harawira) was an international Māori entertainer who performed in over 65 countries and a guitar tutor. Aside from music, Riqi is a facilitator/peer support worker at Waikeria prisons Kaupapa Māori drug treatment program. He has a passion for walking alongside others who have taken the wrong path, to help elicit their own motivation to change. More than proficient in Mau Rākau (Māori weaponry) Riqi weaves ‘Te ao Māori’ into all areas of his life.   “ I love writing music that ignites hope, and I am currently writing songs about Māori leaders   that have inspired and helped bring change to our nation.   Stories that belong to all New Zealanders. I also search for meaning within pūrakāu, they more than stories, they are our whakapapa that is unique to Tangata Whenua but also benefits non-Māori” – Riqi Harawira A multi-instrumentalist, Riqi frequently melds te reo Māori and English with rock music, dabbling with some pop and reggae sounds and big splashes of his authentic creative native style. In 2016 Riqi Harawira released his first solo album, ‘Sound of the Long White Cloud’ spawning the singles ‘Greenstone & Gold’, ‘Oxygen’, ‘Te Aroha’ & ‘Goddess’, which was gifted to the ‘men against sexual violence’ campaign of that year. This album also featured an indigenized version of ‘Gutter Black’, Produced by Kings featuring Dave McArtney the original writer from Hello Sailor. Riqi’s second album, ‘Mauri’ brought forward tracks like ‘Wairua Tūturu’ and ‘Kia ora’. His last single 'Ruapekapeka' is a powerful Guitaiaha (Guitar -Taiaha) driven rock anthem with tribal chorus chants that hook you in immediately. A reminder of the famous northern battle between the colonials under Governor-General Grey and the combined forces of Kawiti and Hone Heke. Early 2022 see’s Riqi Harawira release a new single ‘Whina - Walk of freedom’. A track about Dame Whina Cooper, the forerunner of his upcoming album ‘Pūrakāu’ a rich album of stories about the amazing Rangatira of Aotearoa, who have shaped our history.