Matariki Whatarau | |
|---|---|
| Born | Auckland, New Zealand |
| Genres | Māori Showband, comedy, drama, theatre |
| Occupation(s) | actor, musician |
| Instrument(s) | guitar, vocals, cajón |
Matariki Whatarau is a New Zealand actor and musician. Whatarau is also a founding member of Māori showband the Modern Māori Quartet. [1] He co-wrote and performed songs, with the other band members, for the Modern Māori Quartet's debut album That's Us! (2017). [2]
Whatarau appeared on the television programmes, Go Girls and Find me a Māori Bride. Whatarau also had a feature role in the film The Pā Boys (2014). [3] [4] Whatarau co-hosted Māori Television's My Party Song as part of the Modern Māori Quartet. [5] In 2018, Matariki, along with other members of the Modern Māori Quartet, began touring their cabaret show Modern Māori Quartet: Two Worlds. [6]
Early life
Whatarau was born in Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau, New Zealand and is of Māori ( Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Whanaunga) descent. Matariki attended high school in Beijing, China and in Lilongwe, Malawi. [7] Whatarau is a graduate of Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School (Te Kura Toi Whakaari ō Aotearoa) earning a Bachelor of Performing Arts (Acting) in 2009. [8]
Career
Theatre
Whatarau performed in the theatre shows, Awhi Tapu and Party with the Aunties. [9] [10] In January 2020, Whatarau performed in, Modern Māori Quartet: Two Worlds, at the Off-Broadway theatre, SoHo Playhouse. [11]
Film and television
Whatarau had a leading role as 'Tau', in the NZ film The Pā Boys, alongside fellow Modern Māori Quartet band member Francis Kora. [12] Whatarau also had supporting roles in the films The Dead Lands (2014) and Mahana (2016). [3] For 2 seasons, Matariki played, George Alpert, in the Māori Television mockumentary series, Find Me a Māori Bride (2015-2017). [13] Matariki, and the other members of the Modern Māori Quartet, served as the in-house band on Māori Television’s variety show, Happy Hour (2014). [14] He also acted in some of the shows comedy sketches.
Music
Whatarau is a member of Māori showband the Modern Māori Quartet, alongside Maaka Pohatu, Francis Kora and James Tito. [15]
Personal life
Matariki is a fluent speaker of Mandarin. [16]
Discography
- Happy Hour (2014)
- That's Us! (2017)
References
- ^ "Is the Modern Maori Quartet New Zealand's next big thing?". The New Zealand Herald. 7 September 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
- ^ "That's Us! Modern Māori Quartet". The Big Idea. 19 September 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
- ^ a b MatarikiWhatarau, "Matariki Whatarau". nzonscreen.co.nz. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
- ^ Staff. "The Pa Boys: Lights, camera ... reggae". NZ Herald.
- ^ "My Party Song". Māori Television. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
- ^ "Modern Māori Quartet:Two Worlds". witnessperformance.com. 11 July 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
- ^ "Matariki Whatarau". eko.theatre. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
- ^ "Toi Whakaari Graduates". Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School. 15 February 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
- ^ "Downstage & Taki Rua Productions present Awhi Tapu". creativenz.govt.nz. 29 June 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
- ^ "A Marevllous Party with the Aunties". theatrereview.org.nz. 28 November 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
- ^ Leeds, Ryan (14 January 2020). "Māoris Make Musical Merriment at Soho Playhouse". Manhattan Digest.
- ^ "The Pā Boys". nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
- ^ "Find Me a Māori Bride". tvnz.co.nz. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
- ^ Bess Manson (2 September 2014). "Temuera Morrison's Happy Hour". stuff.co.nz.
- ^ "5 Questions with the Modern Māori Quartet". The New Zealand Herald. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- ^ Laura Walters (2 August 2015). "Modern Maori Quartet sing their way to Uzbekistan". stuff.co.nz.
- Living people
- 21st-century New Zealand male actors
- New Zealand male Māori actors
- New Zealand male television actors
- New Zealand male film actors
- Ngāti Kahungunu people
- Ngāti Raukawa people
- Ngāti Whanaunga people
- Entertainers from Auckland
- 21st-century guitarists
- 21st-century New Zealand male singers
- New Zealand Māori male singers
- New Zealand male singer-songwriters
- New Zealand singer-songwriters
- Toi Whakaari alumni