How the national anthem in Māori changed NZ
5 Apr, 2021 12:00 PM
4 minutes to read
Song created history - and the singer is now changing more lives through music.
Singing the national anthem in Māori is today an accepted part of Kiwi life at major sporting events, but the person who did it first says the criticism it attracted at the time was a shock.
Hinewehi Mohi was thrust into the international spotlight in 1999 when she sang God Defend New Zealand in Māori before the All Blacks' opening game in the Rugby World Cup against England at Twickenham – the same year her double platinum album Oceania was released.