Aotearoa Music Award for Best Māori Artist


Best Māori Artist is an Aotearoa Music Award that honours New Zealand music artists for outstanding recordings which reflect a unique Māori identity and/or are an expression of an artist's Māori culture. The nominated work can be in te reo Māori, English or be bilingual. The award is presented annually at the New Zealand Music Awards where the winner receives a Tui trophy.
The award was established in 1992 as Best Māori Album, however it was soon criticised for being too broad. The category was withdrawn in 1994 and 1995, and relaunched in 1996 as two separate categories: Best Mana Māori Album and Best Mana Reo Album. From 2004, the award reverted to only the Best Māori Album category. In 2017 the award was changed to Best Māori Artist with the entry criteria changed to require either an album or a minimum of five single releases in the eligibility period. The award was not presented in 2005, 2009 and 2010 due to insufficient entries.
At the 2015 ceremony, the presentation of the Best Māori Album award was not shown in the live broadcast, as the network cut to an ad break, resulting in complaints from viewers and musicians.

Recipients

Best Mana Māori Album & Best Reo Māori Album (1996 to 2003)

YearAwardWinnerAlbumOther finalistsRef.
1996Best Mana Māori AlbumSouthside of Bombay with Mina Ripia"Kia Mau"
1996Best Mana Reo AlbumSouthside of Bombay with Mina Ripia"Kia Mau"
  • Ruia – "Ka Tangi te Tiitii Ka Tangi te Kaakaa"
  • Moana and the Moahunters – "Akona Te Reo '95"
    • 1997Best Mana Māori AlbumEmma PakiOxygen of Love
  • DLT – The True School
  • Dam Native – "Behold My Kool Style"
    • 1997Best Mana Reo AlbumSt Joseph's Māori Girls' CollegeHe Koha Waiata – A Gift of Song
  • Te Kura Tuatahi Me Te Ropu Kapahaka O Ranana – Te Wainui A Rua
  • Turakina Māori Girls College – Mana Wahine
    • 1998Best Mana Māori AlbumTe MatapihiTe Matapihi
  • Māori Volcanics – Kia Ora
  • Dam Native – Kaupapa Driven Rhymes Uplifted
    • 1998Best Mana Reo AlbumSt Joseph's Māori Girls' CollegeE Hine
  • The Willie Matthews Quartet – A Treasury of Māori Songs
  • Nga Kura O Hananah – Nga Kura O Hananah
    • 1999Best Mana Māori AlbumMoana and the MoahuntersRua
  • Hori Chapman – Toku Reo
  • Waihirere Māori Club – Waihirere: National Champions
  • Ngati Rangiwewehi – Wairua: Spirit of Ngati Rangiwewehi
    • 1999Best Mana Reo AlbumTraditional WaiataHe Waiata Onemata
  • Ngati Rangiwewehi – Wairua: Spirit of Ngati RangiwewehiMoana and the Moahunters – Rua
  • Waihirere Māori Club – Waihirere National Champions
    • 2000Best Mana Māori AlbumSouthside of BombayLive In Aotearoa
  • Maisey Rika – 20 Favourite Māori Songs
  • Hato Paora College – Hato Paora: 50 Years On
    • 2000Best Mana Reo AlbumIwiIwi
  • Maisey Rika – 20 Favourite Māori Songs
  • Hato Paora College – Hato Paora: 50 Years On
  • He Taonga Reo – Tahi/Rua
    • 2001Best Mana Māori AlbumWaiWai 100%
  • Ruia & Ranea – Whare Māori
  • Big Belly Woman – Dance with the Wind
    • 2001Best Mana Reo AlbumWhirimako BlackShrouded in The Mist/Hinepukohurangi
  • Ruia & Ranea – Whare Māori
  • Wai – Wai 100%
    • 2002Best Mana Māori AlbumRangiateaRangiatea Concert Party
  • Ruia and Ranea – Waiata of Bob Marley
  • Te Ati Kimihia – Te Ati Kimihia and the Children of Tane
    • 2002Best Mana Reo AlbumRuia and RaneaWaiata of Bob Marley
  • Brannigan Kaa – Taputapu
  • T-Sistaz – Whakamanahia
    • 2003Best Mana Māori AlbumUpper Hutt PosseTe Reo Māori Remixes
  • Soul Paua – Pohewa
  • Mahinarangi Tocker – Hei Ha
    • 2003Best Mana Reo AlbumNgahiwi ApanuiE Tau Nei
  • Hareruia Aperama – Waiata of Bob Marley Vol 2
  • Adam Whauwhau – He Hua O Roto