After-hours office takeover by Troy Kingi

Last night Whakaata Māori’s newsroom was taken over by Troy Kingi and his band The Upperclass, for an exclusive live performance of a bonus release off his album, Holy Colony Burning Acres.

For Matariki, they’ve named it ‘Pū Whenua Hautapu – Eka Mumura,’ it’s in te reo Māori and will be officially released tomorrow. 

Kingi of Te Arawa, Ngāpuhi and Te Whānau a Apanui, says, “This is the one I wanted in te reo Māori because of the topics, because of the kaupapa – it’s all about indigenous politics.”

Kingi says this album being released on Matariki Day is not just about Māori politics but also indigenous politics.

 “At the end of the day, all we want as tangata whenua is our connection to Papatuānuku (mother earth) to the taiao (environment) to not be severed from… because we are of the land first and foremost. We’re not about the money. We’re not about all this. If the whenua (land) is gone, what else have you got?”

“I think that’s where we connect with all our indigenous brothers and sisters,” he says.

Of all the genres Kingi has included in his popular 10 10 10 series, this record has been the most challenging for him.

“This one was pretty tough because of the concept behind it and wanting to get it right because it is our stories.”

“This particular one, Pū Whenua Hautapu – Eka mumura is not part of the 10 10 10 series. It’s a bonus one that I needed to get out of my system.”

Kingi plans to release his next album for the series of 10 albums in 10 genres in 10 years on October 7.