Waiata collaboration honours the legacy of the 28th Māori Battalion
Nikau Grace & Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue perform on collaborative ANZAC waiata honouring the legacy of The 28th Māori Battalion and marking the recent passing of last surviving member, Sir Bom Gillies.
On April 25, Aotearoa commemorates our first ANZAC Day without a living member of Te Hokowhitu a Tū / The 28th Māori Battalion, following the passing of Tā (Sir) Robert Nairn “Bom” Gillies in November last year. To honour the significant legacy of Tā Bom Gillies and all soldiers of the 28th Māori Battalion before him, Nikau Grace, Kings, and Dr Jeremy MacLeod, have collaborated with Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue to create the beautiful waiata reo rua (bilingual song), He Aha Te Aha, to be released on April 23 on all music streaming platforms. A powerful short documentary and moving music video will be released on Waiata Anthems platforms — offering a deeply emotional look into the making of the waiata, the creative wairua behind it, and the heartfelt tributes that inspired its creation.
Not only a musical composition, He Aha Te Aha is an ode to the soldiers of the Māori Battalion; their service, their sacrifice, and to the resilience of the Māori culture. Recorded in Tāmaki Makaurau and Rotorua over three days, He Aha Te Aha acknowledges Tā Bom Gillies’ Te Arawa and Ngāti Kahungunu whakapapa, with the music team sharing both strong personal ties to Koro Bom and whānau connections to the Māori Battalion.
Mātanga reo, Dr Jeremy Tātere MacLeod, was a close family friend of Sir Bom through their shared Te Arawa and Ngāti Kahungunu whakapapa and has unique insight into his life. Having traveled with him to the cemeteries of fallen WW2 soldiers in Italy, Dr MacLeod heard first hand the reflections and perspectives Tā Bom shared about war, and echoes these in the song’s title, He Aha Te Aha – a commonly used idiom expressing that something was pointless and ultimately a waste of time and lives.
Performer Nikau Grace’s grandfather fought alongside Sir Bom in the Māori Battalion and the rising artist was previously in a band with Bom’s son. Producer Kings’ koroua were also soldiers in World War 2.
Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue, known as Sir Bom Gillies’ kapa, dedicated their recent Te Matatini-winning performance to him and continue this acknowledgement with their moving performance on He Aha Te Aha, bringing a powerful energy to the commemorative ANZAC kaupapa.
Released as a special project under the acclaimed Waiata Anthems musical series, this waiata aims to ensure the legacy of the 28th Māori Battalion and Tā Bom Gillies continues to be remembered and resonate for generations to come, despite Aotearoa no longer have a living member to share their stories and experiences. It is an ōhākī to the future; a promise that we will not forget their sacrifices and the values they upheld.
He Aha Te Aha will be released on all music streaming platforms on 23 April 2025.
Song Title: He aha te aha
Artist(s): Nikau Grace & Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue
Producer: Kings
Mātanga Reo: Jeremy MacLeod
Short documentary and music video will be released on Waiata Anthems platforms (Youtube, Instagram, Facebook) on 22 April 2025. https://www.youtube.com/@WAIATAANTHEMS/videos
