Ariana Tikao


Ariana Tikao is a mātanga in the craft of contemporary Māori music making. With a rich history of collaboration, her work is sometimes sweet, sometimes sharp, meditative and political. In listening to Tikao’s music, we can feel a sense of her groundedness in te ao Māori, and the cloak of mana wāhine that she wears on her shoulders.

Ariana’s story begins in Ōtautahi, the city where she spent her childhood. Her father grew up at Rāpaki on the Lyttelton Harbour, and her whānau also connected back to Ōnuku by the Akaroa harbour. Tikao grew up as the youngest of seven children.

Ariana Tikao - Kōrakorako (2018)
Ariana Tikao, her partner Ross Calman and Matahana at their wedding, January 2002
Photo credit: Matt Calman
Keri Hulme tribute, 2022
Ariana Tikao and Jacquie, Pounamu, 1996
Photo credit: Korene Ford
Ariana Tikao - Tuia music video directed by Louise Pōtiki Bryant (2008)
Ariana Tikao - Whaea (2002)
Tararua (L-R): Phil Boniface, Ariana Tikao, Ruby Solly, Alistair Fraser
Tararua performing Tūtūmaiao at Wellington Jazz Festival in 2021.
Ruby Solly's composition Ātahu performed by Maianginui and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (2023)
Ariana Tikao and Alistair Fraser at the Surgery studio, Wellington, 2020
Ariana Tikao - Ka Huri Te Wa (from Whaea, 2002)
Ariana Tikao and Alistair Fraser in Makara, 2021.
Photo credit: Ebony Lamb
Ariana Tikao in World of Wearable Art, 2008
Ariana Tikao - Pupuhi Rau live at Orange Studio, Christchurch (2014)
Pounamu photo shoot for Mihi album, 1996.
Ariana Tikao, James Webster, Alistair Fraser, Horomona Horo - 'Raupatu' (Silver Scroll, 2017)
Ariana Tikao and band at Orange Studio, 2014
Ariana Tikao - Tuia (2008)
Ariana Tikao with her mother and siblings, 1975.
Ariana Tikao
Ariana Tikao and Mere in Ngā Hihi o Matariki, 2021
Fly You Home 
Ariana Tikao and Richard Nunns
Ariana Tikao and Alistair Fraser at Surgery Studio, 2020
Photo credit: Sam Palmer
Still from Te Taki o Te Ua
Hirini Melbourne and Ariana Tikao – Amokura (2017)
Ariana Tikao DVD image
Ariana Tikao
Ariana Tikao
Ariana Tikao - Onepū performance
Ariana Tikao and Alistair Fraser at the Arts Foundation Icons Awards event, 2020.
Ariana Tikao and Hannah Howes' Wahine Toa tour poster (2010)
Philip Brownlee and Ariana Tikao – Ko te tātai whetū (Concerto for Taonga Puoro) - with Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, conductor Benjamin Northey (2015)
Still from Ko te Tatai Whetu with CSO, 2015. Video by SOUNZ.
He Reo Tawhito, a conversation about Mōteatea with Ariana Tikao (2022)
Nau mai e kā hua CD cover
Ariana Tikao From Dust To Light CD cover, 2012.
Ariana Tikao's Arts Laureate award, presented in 2020.
Ariana Tikao, From Dust To Light – Te Papa gig poster (2012)
Ariana Tikao, Ruby Solly and Lee Stuart performing Tikao's composition Clinging Things for the Suffrage Songs Recomposed concert presented by Te Kōkī / New Zealand School of Music (2018)

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