Matariki Whatarau

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]

Matariki Whatarau
BornAuckland, New Zealand
GenresMāori Showband, comedy, drama, theatre
Occupation(s)actor, musician
Instrument(s)guitar, vocals, cajón

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
  1. "Is the Modern Maori Quartet New Zealand's next big thing?". nzherald.co.nz. 7 September 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  2. "That's Us! Modern Māori Quartet". The Big Idea. 19 September 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  3. MatarikiWhatarau,"Matariki Whatarau". nzonscreen.co.nz. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  4. Staff. "The Pa Boys: Lights, camera ... reggae". NZ Herald.
  5. "My Party Song". Māori Television. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  6. "Modern Māori Quartet:Two Worlds". witnessperformance.com. 11 July 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  7. "Matariki Whatarau". eko.theatre. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  8. "Toi Whakaari Graduates". Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School. 15 February 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  9. "Downstage & Taki Rua Productions present Awhi Tapu". creativenz.govt.nz. 29 June 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  10. "A Marevllous Party with the Aunties". theatrereview.org.nz. 28 November 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  11. Leeds, Ryan (14 January 2020). "Māoris Make Musical Merriment at Soho Playhouse". Manhattan Digest.
  12. "The Pā Boys". nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  13. "Find Me a Māori Bride". tvnz.co.nz. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  14. Bess Manson (2 September 2014). "Temuera Morrison's Happy Hour". stuff.co.nz.
  15. "5 Questions with the Modern Māori Quartet". nzherald.co.nz. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  16. Laura Walters (2 August 2015). "Modern Maori Quartet sing their way to Uzbekistan". stuff.co.nz.
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