Pasifika - APRA

We would like to applaud
and celebrate the work
of Erana Hemmingsen,
and her support of the
local music industry. As
programme director at Te
Upoko O Te Ika, in
Wellington, Erana made
the decision to broadcast
100% New Zealand and
Maori music, a year ago.
Yes you read right – 100%! – making Te Upoko O Te Ika the
only station in the country to do so. Erana took the initiative
to support artists and composers, by playing and promoting
their music. Erana is herself a singer/songwriter with Tuahine,
and an APRA member. The team at the station includes other
APRA members and prominent local musicians – such as
Kevin Hodges, Maaka McGregor, Mina Ripia, Brent Thompson,
Geoffrey Karena, Jackie Hemmingsen and others. The
involvement by musicians at the station brought home the
realities of the local music industry, and the struggles that
many have faced. Te Upoko broadcasts from the top of the
New Plymouth to Kaikoura on 1161AM, and at last count it
had 52,000 listeners. The station has been broadcasting for
From left: Raewyn Haenga, Brian Hemmingson
and Erana Hemmingson.
12
Erana Hemmingsen - 100% New Zealand Music Te Upoko O Te Ika
12 years and broadcasts predominantly in the Maori Language.
With so much good local music around, Erana can’t
understand why other stations think playing 10 percent is so
hard. She says there is so much variety of local music available,
covering all genres. “We didn’t want to sound like an overseas
radio station and we want to promote the people that live
here. The other thing is Wellington musicians were so supportive
when we started. They provided a lot of music to keep our
station running”. Erana is also supportive of the NZ On Air
Hit Discs, and a quota system for those who haven’t taken
the initiative yet to support New Zealand music. She believes
that quota should not be less than 50%. Erana also feels that
a lot of overseas music does not promote positive issues for
our youth, which was another reason they decided to go 100%
New Zealand and Maori music.
Erana welcomes new music for the station, and if anyone
would like their works to be broadcast, please send your music,
singles or albums to: Te Upoko O Te Ika Maori Radio, PO Box
2705, Wellington. Please also include a contact phone number,
and some information.
Congratulations Erana – we hope other programme directors
will follow your lead!
Petrina Togi
Cruising the Apra Tent at Pasifika
How often do you get to hear top songwriters talking about their
craft? And delivering acoustic versions of their songs in a friendly
outdoor atmosphere? Well, not often enough. But if you’re around
for Auckland’s annual Pasifika festival, the APRA workshop tent
delivers just that. This year’s event was up with the best; the fans
flocked in and the rain stayed away.
Highlights were Tim Finn (relaxed performances of old and
new songs and great anecdotes about the strange circumstances
surrounding the birth of some familiar standards), Jordan Luck
(showing why he is one of our premier exponents of the pop
ballad) and “da bomb” King Kapisi, who showed the young, mainly
Polynesian audience the ins and outs of hip hop.
Other stars were Greg Johnson, Gaille Tinihau, the Strong
Islanders, stand-up comic Eteuaiete, Ramon, Lindah E and Ermahn.
The sound and stage management was handled expertly (as
always) by Tony McMaster and the students from the Music and
Audio Institute of New Zealand. A huge thanks to all, especially
Donna Hoha who lent us her wonderful MC skills for the day.
This year’s Pasifika festival was the biggest yet and some people
are seriously saying it should become a two or three day event.
Backstage at the APRA Tent, Tim Finn with King Kapisi and DJ Raw
pictured with young up & coming hiphoppers
APRAP JUNE 2000 APRA, 92 Parnell Road, Auckland, PO Box 6315, Auckland. Phone 0-9-379 0638, Fax 0-9-379 3205