‘Maiea’ is a call for peace; an incantation in archaic Māori language to ancient deities and gods to soothe and calm a troubled mind. ‘Maiea’ is the fifth track from the upcoming album Ono by Moana & The Tribe. Due for release in 2023, Ono comprises six unique songs that celebrate te reo and raise the visibility of endangered languages through collaborations with indigenous vocalists.
The reo (Māori) lyrics to ‘Maiea’ were penned by Scotty Morrison, with music written by Paddy Free and Moana Maniapoto. The Gaelic language of Scotland is courtesy of Megan Henderson, lead singer and violinist for award-winning Scottish band Breabach.
The video for ‘Maiea’ was filmed in Aotearoa-New Zealand by Vinnie Carter (Vido Productions). Vinnie has produced, directed and edited four music videos from ONO. It was shot in and around Tāmaki Makaurau-Auckland. Cameraman Paul Jennings filmed Megan Henderson outside Glasgow. The video features Manawanui Maniapoto-Mills, Moana’s 13-year-old daughter; a budding actor who has made appearances in Beyond the Veil (2022), The Wilds (2020) and Ways to See (2019).
- Filmed with the help of Te Māngai Pāho