For today’s episode of “Many Voices”, I was delighted to welcome Danya Pavlovich to teach us about Māori waiata (or songs) from Aotearoa New Zealand. Danya is a PhD candidate in the School of Psychology at Waipapa Taumata Rau / the University of Auckland in Aotearoa New Zealand. Danya has helped lead global experiments measuring relationships between singing and social bonding across dozens of different languages, but today I enjoyed a more personal kōrero (conversation) with her about the music of her own Māori culture. I particularly enjoyed learning about the way the band “Alien Weaponry” has fused traditional Māori instruments and cultural practices with metal styles and imagery to create a song about cannibalism that can only be described as extremely metal. But of course, there is much more to Māori music and culture than traditional warfare, and Danya introduced a wide variety of traditional and contemporary Māori music, including a very old recordings of a traditional oriori (lullaby) and a very groovy contemporary song “35” with a haka that you can’t help but dance along to. She explains that, despite the popular image of the haka as just a “war dance”, haka are often also used for peace to bond people together and to celebrate special occasions.Tēnā koe, Danya, ngā mihi nui ki te kōrero i tēnei rā.Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

02:51 1 (meaningful): Nei rā te kaupapa o te reo Māori ("My Language is my Awakening") - Sung by Danya Pavlovich (composed by Tawhiro Maxwell & Te Okeroa Huriwaka; https://youtu.be/tTUeEZRkPB4)

08:17 2 (traditional): Pōpō - traditional oriori (lullaby), recorded 1949 by Douglas Geoffrey Bridson (https://theglobaljukebox.org/song/109)

14:09 3 (contemporary): Kai Tangata ("Cannibalism") - Alien Weaponry (https://youtu.be/5kwIkF6LFDc)

18:20 4 (happy): Matariki Hunga Nui (Calling Me Home) - Troy Kingi, Rob Ruha & Kaylee Bell (https://youtu.be/YtBH0OIuEkc)

22:00 5 (sad): Kei Wareware i a Tātou ("Lest We Forget") - Te Kuru Marutea (https://youtu.be/jLTwgl8_2H8)

24:24 6 (dancing): 35 - Ka Hao & Rob Ruha (https://youtu.be/jEOydUQXfl8)

29:19 7 (bonding): Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi ("Stand Together, People") - Sung by Danya Pavlovich (composed by Canon Wi Huata; https://youtu.be/EAq2tFvWrfc)

34:09 Broader thoughts on music, science, and Māori cultureCredits:Recorded 17 March 2026Guest: Danya PavlovichPresenter/producer/editor: Dr Patrick SavageIntro/outro music: "Hearing music evolve" (Patrick Savage, Hideo Daikoku, The HU, Marin Naruse, Gakuto Chiba, Freddie Mercury, Timbaland, et al., https://youtu.be/Qe1R-R1-Q7A)Many Voices logo design: Dr Florence Nweke