Te Vaka Band members Profiles

Opetaia Foa'i

Band leader, guitarist, percussionist lead singer and song writer for Te Vaka. Opetaia has
written and arranged all the band's material as well as co-produced the four Te Vaka albums.
Opetaia has been described as ..."one of New Zealand's finest songwriters - his sentiments
are universal and his subjects deeply personal"...

Sulata Foa'i - Amiatu

Lead and Backing vocals. Sulata is full Tokeluan, born in New Zealand. She began singing at
a very early age with her 3 older sisters at church and family functions. In 1995 she won most
promising female vocalist at the New Zealand music awards and was nominated for top
female vocalist in 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999. In 1995 she joined Te Vaka and has toured the
UK and Europe extensively with them, stunning international audiences with her powerful
and unique voice.

Manase Foa'i

Drum kit, Pate Toa (rhythm log drums), Pate liki (double log drums) He is quarter Tokelauan,
quarter Tuvaluan and half New Zealander. Manase joined Te Vaka in 1995 as a drummer and
dancer, but his exceptional skills on the drums have not allowed time for the dance as he
moves around a multitude of drums in any one show.

Melodee Panapa

Backing vocals. Melodee is part Tokelaun, Tuvaluan, Samoan, Cook Island and European.
She started playing piano and singing at the age of 5 but didn't start performing
professionally until 15. She has sung in a number of bands around Auckland as well as
performing in Polynesian cultural groups, indulging her love of the culture and dance of the
South Pacific. Her former band, Brown Suka, gained national recognition for being the only
all girl Polynesian group to win a place in the Coke Smokefree Rockquest.

Joe Toomata

Bass player and Pau'u Malu (goat skin bass drum). Joe is from the Island of Samoa. He came
to New Zealand at an early age and started playing guitar with the family band at the age of
13. After winning some instrumental awards he went on to study music and performance at
the Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand (MAINZ) and graduated after 2 years. Joe is
passionate about his Island culture.

Neil Forrest

Pate Toa (rhythm log drums), Pate liki (double log drums) and Pa'u Malu, skin drums. Neil
has been with Te Vaka since 1994 and is a New Zealander. He has been involved with music
for most of his life, learning piano at the age of eleven, and going on to play drums, guitar
and flute. Neil is also a skilled craftsman and has designed some new drums for the Te Vaka
show.
Jeff Harris

Electric guitar, log drums and vocals.

Born in New Zealand of Ngapuhi, Ngati kuri and Ngati kahu descent, Jeff has been
surrounded by music and culture from a very early age. Performing in Maori Kapa Haka
groups, Pacific Island and cultural groups and later studying guitar and completing his
diploma at the Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand (MAINZ)

Douglas Bernard (AKA Fresh)

Vocals, Percussion, Keyboard, Pa'u vili (goat skin conga). Fresh is three-quarters Samoan, a
quarter American and a little bit French. Singing with Te Vaka since 2004, he has a great
voice which those of you who have heard the Tamahana track from the movie - "Legend of
Johnny Lingo" I am sure will agree. The youngest of 6 boys all involved with music, Fresh
has received a great deal of encouragement from his family to follow his dream and after 2
years studying songwriting and performance at MAINZ, he is taking on the world.

Etueni (Edwin) Pita

Lead Dancer. Half Tokelauan, quarter Cook Island and quarter Tuvaluan, born in New
Zealand. He has been dancing since the age of five. Joining Te Vaka in 1997, he made his
debut at WOMAD Pacifica. Since being with the band he has contributed his traditional and
contemporary dance skills and also assists with choreography for the stage shows.

Simona Hope

Dancer. Simon was born in New Zealand to Tokelauan parents. Simon is the second youngest
of 11 children. He was introduced to the Tokelauan culture at a very young age, learning the
language and the dance. He joined Te Vaka in 1997, making his debut at WOMAD Pacifica.

Matatia Foa'i

Log Drums, skin drums, Percussion. Born in New Zealand, Matatia is quarter Tokelauan,
quarter Tuvaluan and half New Zealander. The youngest drummer in the group he started
performing with Te Vaka in 2003 and makes his way around log drums, skin drums and
percussion with ease and skill beyond his years

Tremayne Lihou

Tremayne was born in New Zealand . Part Niuean, Cook Island, Maori and European,
Tremayne is a passionate dancer. She joined Te Vaka at the beginning of 2005 and has been
stunning audiences around the world ever since.

Olivia Foa'i

Olivia is part Tokelau, Tuvalu and European. Born in New Zealand she has toured and
danced with Te Vaka since she was 2 years old.
Te Vaka is a unique group of thirteen musicians and dancers from Tokelau, Tuvalu, Samoa,
Cook Islands, and New Zealand bought together under the inspired leadership of Opetaia
Foa’i.

Te Vaka has toured the UK and Europe extensively over the last 7 years, performing in such
prestigious venues as London's Royal Festival Hall and Ronnie Scott's nightclub. The group
has headlined music festivals throughout Europe and been favourites at WOMAD festivals
around the world including the WOMAD festival in Seattle, USA.

Opetaia Foa'i is the songwriter, lead vocalist and leader of the group. The inspiration for his
music comes from his multi-cultural upbringing - half Tokelauan, half Tuvaluan, born in
Samoa and brought up in a Tokelauan community in New Zealand. Opetaia's musical
background spans both the tradtional and the diverse influences of contemporary metropolitan
culture.

Te Vaka has performed in 30 countries around the world and released four albums and one
DVD to date. The first album gained immediate worldwide acclaim and recognition for the
group. Released through ARC Music, a UK based Record company, the album was distributed
to over 80 countries. The second album, released in 1999 through Warm Earth Records has
created an even bigger impact going to number one on world music charts and in some
countries mainstream radio. The third album was nominated for Best Roots album and the
latest album Tutuki won Best Pacific Music Album in the New Zealand Music Industry
Awards. With a 7th world tour planned Te Vaka looks forward to an exciting time ahead

On tour Te Vaka performs songs from their new album, Tutuki, third album Nukukehe, second
album Ki mua and the successful Te Vaka, their first album released in May 1997 and
acclaimed worldwide for its original style and powerful tribal, rootsy feel. Click here for
downloadable Real Audio music samples. Or read some album reviews.

A chronology of the band's successes to date shows their rapid growth over the last few years.

Although based in New Zealand, the band's fusion music is inspired by the Pacific Islands,
particularly the groups that comprise Tokelau,Tuvalu and Samoa, from whence the family of
band leader Opetaia originally came.

The islands of Tokelau, Tuvalu and Samoa were major influences on Opetaia's upbringing and
his songwriting. He was raised in Samoa until the age of nine when his whole family
emigrated to New Zealand. The Tokelauan community there continued to provide musical
inspiration; every gathering was an opportunity for people to sing and dance, and this mood is
sustained in the evocative spirit of the band. The addition of band members from many
Islands in the South Pacific also helps to add flavours from all over Polynesia to the music
and dance of Te Vaka.