Tōku Tuakiri

Rotorua singer and songwriter Nikau Grace's Pākehā colouring meant her Māori identity was never 'visible' to others. She was teased at school and told to take off her taonga. Written at 15 years of age, the mantra of heartfelt bilingual waiata 'Tōkū Tuakiri' (translating to 'My Identity') got Grace "through a lot of hard times". In this video Grace lives up to her stage name, delivering her bilingual waiata proudly while wearing a greenstone taonga. Grace is joined in her soaring chorus by off-screen voices from the Rotorua Accelerando Programme, adding to the song's gospel-fuelled message of inner resolve. 

Tōku Tuakiri to me is who you are, how you identify, the people who help make me, me. I still haven't quite figured out my identity yet, but I'd say I've got time. I don't believe I have to know it all now, there's no pressure to have all the answers.

– Nikau Grace on her waiata 'Tōku Tuakiri', Music Managers Forum Aotearoa

Key Cast & Crew

Taine Noble

Director, Editor, Camera Operator

Julia Parnell

Producer

Hinewehi Mohi

Executive Producer

Parehuia Mackay

Production Manager

Breeze O'Connor

Camera Operator

Jason Crane

Camera Operator