Toia & Jade

With 4 albums in the Mauri Ora programme, there were endless streams of Māori talent, coming in and out of our MoaTown Studio.

Two of these were the beautiful and stunning sisters, Toia Chase-Diprose & Jade Chase-Burrows. Daughters of the 'famous' Nash Chase and Debs Patterson (Chase), and sister to Jordan, they were more than happy to support the 'kaupapa'.

Having spent most of the childhood in Australia, they were initially a bit nervous about singing in Māori but they loved the song chosen for them. So, after a couple of days, they came back and recorded 'their' version of Ehara i te Mea, which features on track on of the Mauri Ora Album - Songs for Hui Gatherings (Kete 1).

It is a sweet and young sound, reflecting their wairua and 'new-ness' to this type of music!

Keep a look out for these two as they are often performing in live shows - we will continue to update this peice.

The VOICE of Mauri Ora - Francie Taylor!

I really can't go any further in explaining Mauri Ora and it's creative evolution, without talking about Francie!

Not only was she there in the beginnings of Mahi Ora, but she was there before Mauri Ora became a programme.

We first used her voice to record talking books for Mahi Ora and in those days, it mean't a weekend in 'the sweat box' - the name given to a small recording booth Jono had created in his warehouse (where we filmed all the introductions to the Mahi Ora videos).

We all soon discovered that Francie had this cool, easy to listen to voice so it was an easy choice to make when it came to recording all the introductions to Mauri Ora. Francie was our girl!!!!

Tatai Irorangi (one of the Mauri Ora audio's) will always remain one of my favorites. Francie would rock on into our studio - which was now way bigger than the sweat box - grab her a glass of water and 'pump out' whatever was required of her! She didn't always get the words right (especially the English ones) but she did it all with great passion.

When she got it wrong, we would all roll around in fits of laughter, with Francie taking it all in her stride, returning back to the recording room and fixing her mistakes!

When times were hard, she was the first to be there and the last to leave! She did all of this as well as manage her and her partner, Simon Newton, company and create learning resources that enhanced the learning outcomes of the programme.

Truely a wahine of mana, he tangata rongonui - the fab and fit Ms Francis Taylor!

Richard Roberts - Camera, Edits & HEAPS of Fun!

Richard is one of the original KFP members.

He joined us when we didn't even have offices, in fact part of his job was to help paint his own suite!

Richard ALWAYS gives everything 100% and is always up for a good laugh! He initially voluntarily 'helped out' when Jono and Jude were completing filming for Mahi Ora, then when he heard Jude was to start on Mauri Ora, he approached her to see if he could join the team.

Richard worked extensively on the TWOA Māori Language Programme - Te Ara Reo Māori Film work (script & direction by Puka Moeau, Kate Cherrington and Lee Anne Walker); Mauri Ora Introduction; and TWOA Kuki 'Airini Language revitalisation pilot.

As a dad of 4 - pictured here with daughter no.3 Ryleigh - a camera is never far from his grasp, although these days you are more likely to catch up with him at the Raglan 4 Square Supermarket (he is the manager)!