Indigenous Editorial Column: The relationship between Maori youth and the Hip-hop culture

Photo taken of the great KRS 1 and Kahurangi Tibble at his Auckland show in New Zealand 2012
By Mihikeita Tibble

During the 1970’s in Brooklyn, New York, “DJ Kool Herc would play at Block parties mixing samples of his existing records with his own shouts to the crowd and dancers.” Originating amongst the African Americans in the streets of the USA a new cultural movement which consisted of four elements started to take shape and develop out of the ghetto. These elements became known as MC-ing, DJ-ing Grafitti art & Break-dancing and from that Hiphop was born. The Hip-hop culture soon increased in popularity in the USA and became a vessel that would give a generation a voice to the voiceless

Meanwhile in New Zealand, Maori were still trying to establish themselves into Urban society. Maori were poorer economically to the European majority and often felt misplaced and alienated as they had been forced to make the move from there rural homes and hapu (extended family) to work in the major cities.

By the 1980’s Hip-hop through the mediums visual & sound arrived to the shores of Aotearoa. Many young Maori instantly felt a familiar connection with the music and the culture. The messages portrayed throughout the songs were relevant to them and were ideas in which they could understand & relate to. The beats had exciting rhythm & melodies and the people who were singing them were also of a cultural background that too, had been misplaced in society.

Maori youth began to use MC-ing as a means to speak out about the injustices that were going on in New Zealand society at that time. Artist’s like ‘Upper hutt posse’ and ‘Damb Native’ would converse about such topics, self pride and mana.

Photo taken of the Dam Native crew at the filming of the song 'behold my cool style' from 500ways.co.nz

Grafitti art gave Maori youth a way to express them selves using a different medium. Grafitti Artist such as DLT would incorporate Maori art & tikanga with USA style bombings to create his art using spray cans on walls.