News from E Tū Whānau: film challenge, videos and song competition results

E Tū Whānau has a number of music and video initiatives focused on promoting positive change.

Rangatahi film challenge

The E Tū Whānau Rangatahi Film Challenge encourages rangatahi up to age 24 to create films about their perspective as young people in Aotearoa New Zealand. The challenge encourages young people to use the E Tū Whānau values as inspiration: aroha, whanaungatanga, whakapapa, mana / manaaki, kōrero awhi, and tikanga. Awards for films entered into the challenge are celebrated at the Māoriland Film Festival in March 2019. 

The Māoriland Film Festival is an international indigenous film festival that celebrates indigenous voices and storytelling in film. Māoriland is running free filmmaking workshops around Aotearoa to help rangatahi enter the challenge. See the E Tū Whānau Rangatahi Film Challenge for more details.

Videos about reclaiming Te Ao Māori

E Tū Whānau have produced a series of four brief videos on reclaiming Te Ao Māori. The videos explore these traditional values and the link to the E Tū Whānau kaupapa. The videos have been published on the E Tū Whānau Facebook page. The first video, Te Mana o te Wāhine, looks at traditional values of wāhine or women. The second video, Te Mana o te Tane, looks at traditional values of tane or men. The remaining videos will be released soon.

Songs available from the annual competition 

Each year E Tū Whānau runs a song competition to highlight songs that inspire positive change and incorporate the E Tū Whānau values. A gallery of some of the songs submitted to the competition are available through the E Tū Whānau facebook page. The prize-winning songs are:

• 1st Prize to Troubled - Lyrics by Charlie Williams, Jay Rerekura and Danny Williams; Music by Charlie Williams, Tyson Tauri & Danny Williams; Performed by Charlie Williams, Jay Rerekura & Tyson Tauri; Filmed by Jay Rerekura - "Troubled is for the brothers. We all have times when we get stressed out or bothered by situations in or out of our control. For us, this waiata is about saying to our brothers, 'We can be better, we need to be better ... and we will.' Ahakoa nga piki me nga heke, me tū kaha tātou. This song vibes on the heavyness of the situations we find ourselves in but finishes up with the 'Hope' that there will be a brighter day."
• 2nd Prize to I'll call in a little while - Lyrics and music by Dion Whaanga; Performed and filmed by Dion Whaanga - "In our busy lives, we must realise and acknowledge the beauty of simplicity, genuine love and respect and to not take for granted what we already have."
• 3rd Prize and Most Votes Prize to Hold On - Lyrics by Haley Grace-Hollis; Music by Haley Grace-Hollis, Delia Harrison & Iwasa Pohatu; Performed by Hayley Grace-Hollis and whānau of Aotearoa; Filmed by Gabrielle Tamihana and Hayley Grace-Hollis. - "I wrote this song after losing 4 of my siblings to suicide. I wrote it to let people know its ok to ask for help. You are loved by many, hold on kia kaha."

Related news

In June, E Tū Whānau organised around one hundred kahukura, Māori who are recognised as influencers and leaders in their whānau, hapū, rohe or area of work, to come together to consider the movement’s achievements and help design its future.

Selected media

E Tu Whānau song competition winners announced, Māori Television, 06.07.2018