The official music video for 'We Belong' - the theme song for Te Matatini 2025.
Stream or Download the song here - https://ffm.to/we-belong
‘We Belong’ is the brand new waiata created especially for Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga 2025. Commissioned by Te Matatini, the official song emphasises the collective strength and spiritual unity represented by the event and the host iwi.
The biennial Te Matatini national kapa haka festival is the largest celebration of Māori performing arts excellence in the world. ‘We Belong’ will serve as the soundtrack to this installment of Te Matatini.
Created by Pipiwharauroa, Ngawaiwera Campbell and Te Naawe Tupe (Corrella) and featuring Joel Shadbolt (L.A.B) with lyrical guidance from Tawaroa Kawana - the waiata embraces the feeling of unity and togetherness which Te Matatini brings, with the track being started in Te Whanganui-a-Tara / Wellington, before being completed in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland.
Speaking about the project, Corrella’s Pipiwharauroa Campbell says -
“This song was written as a dedication that Te Matatini belongs to everyone here in Aotearoa New Zealand and abroad, and that all are welcome.It touches on the stories we tell using kapa haka and the feeling you get from watching and being at Te Matatini, and we ask that all come and share in this. This song is a little bit different to other Te Matatini songs with it being predominantly in English, even though we have the utmost respect for the Māori language. This was to convey that even if you don’t speak Te Reo Māori, you still belong. We also pay homage to where Te Matatini is being held this year - under Taranaki maunga. Te kahui maunga, kahue tupua kahue wairau.''
Shot and edited by Shae Sterling with additional footage from Te Matatini 2023.