A new creative hub in West Auckland is reviving traditional Tongan music, ensuring rare songs are not lost to history.
Te Puna Creative Hub, now occupying the former Whoa! Studios in Henderson, recently hosted Ocean Star Fetu’u Moana Academy for a special recording session.
The 12-person choir, backed by guitar and drums, recorded traditional Tongan songs for future performances.
“Oh, my gosh, having this recording session is so important,” said academy tutor Fiana Tuli-Tahifote. “These are songs that are so traditional that no one really taps into them.”
She explained that many of the songs, largely absent from online platforms, hold deep cultural meaning, using metaphors to convey historical events and traditional knowledge.
Crescendo production mentor David Atai, a former Nesian Mystik member, guided the session as part of an audio engineering internship program.
“When this project came up and it was all about preserving traditional Tongan songs that are slowly dying out, I raised my hand to it,” Atai said.
The initiative, delivered by Tātaki Auckland Unlimited in partnership with Te Kawerau ā Maki, is providing young musicians with skills while safeguarding Tongan heritage for future generations.
