ORO ATUA, the brainchild of Taonga Pūoro practitioner/composer Jerome Kavanagh Poutama, has released their latest album ‘Tangaroa a Roto’. The album is a powerful ode to Māori ancestral heritage and the natural environment, created using Taonga Pūoro, Waiata Pao, and field recordings of the Taiao.
The album is a testament to the deep reverence ORO ATUA holds for their ancestral roots. Jerome and his whānau have walked their ancestral homelands, capturing the sounds of the Taiao. The result is a rare and beautiful collection of recordings that include the great gathering of whale songs from Rangitaahua, Kōkako songs from the Ruahine ranges, and the night song of the Rirerire from in their Maara Kumara near the Rangitikei River.
In addition to these natural recordings, ORO ATUA has also included three ancient voices in the album, taken from the Taonga Pūoro collection held captive at the British Museum, collected from their Tupuna in the 1800s. This gesture was made to honour their ancestors, as well as to ensure that the voices of these Taonga Pūoro can be heard again by the Maori people.
The last track on the album was co-created by producer Neil MacLeod of the MacLeod clan (Scotland/NZ), who worked alongside Jerome to create a track that honours the “Tiriti o Waitangi,” marking this time of rebalance in Aotearoa and honouring each other as a way to slowly but surely free themselves and each other from the ill practices of colonialism and racism.
Jerome Kavanagh Poutama
ORO ATUA
Tangaroa a roto from ORO ATUA
‘Tangaroa a Roto’ from ORO ATUA is a powerful and moving album that captures the essence of Maori ancestral heritage and the natural environment. It is a testament to the deep reverence ORO ATUA holds for their ancestors and the natural world, and is a must-listen for anyone seeking to reconnect with their roots. The album is now available on BandCamp, Spotify, YouTube, and Apple iTunes.
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