News: Jen Cloher announces new album & shares first single/video ‘Mana Takatāpui’

Jen Cloher is a songwriter and performer living on unceded Wurundjeri land in Naarm (Melbourne). Cloher has announced their new album I Am The River, The River Is Me is due March 3 via Milk! Records/ Marathon Artists. The first single from the album, ‘Mana Takatâpui’ is a celebration of the indigenous Polynesian people of Aotearoa, New Zealand, the Māori, LGBTQ+ community.

A note from Jen on ‘Mana Takatāpui’: “In 2019 I typed the words ‘Māori word for Queer’ into Google. The word ‘takatāpui’ flashed onto my screen with this description: ‘Takatāpui is the Māori word meaning a devoted partner of the same sex. In Western terminology, a person who identifies as takatāpui is a Māori individual who is gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. Takatāpui is used nowadays in response to the Western construction of “sexuality, gender, and corresponding identity expressions.”

“I typed my newfound word into the Māori Dictionary app and listened to it being spoken. It was beautiful. The extended ahh after the k, giving it a luxuriousness as it rolled off the speaker’s tongue. I marvelled at the idea of one word that could explain my sexuality, gender and cultural identity. What an incredible language!

“The next day on a walk with a queer, trans Samoan friend, I told them of my new discovery. I took a deep breath remembering the speaker on my app and said “takataapui” aloud for the first time. A sense of belonging ensued, like a question being answered. There was a warmth in my chest, the feeling was pride.

“I’m no expert but I’m guessing Māori pre-colonisation didn’t hold the same beliefs around gender and sexuality as Queen Victoria’s England. I’ve read that our men were hands on dedicated fathers and some of our best midwives; that our women fought side by side on the battlefield and that our wāhine atua (female gods) held as much mana (power and respect) as our tāne atua. Christianity came hand in hand with colonisation; Their missionaries introducing the concepts of body shame, sexual repression, a woman’s menstrual cycle as impure, homosexuality as a perversion and gender as binary.

“Sadly, we may never know exactly what our people believed and practiced but there is a deep knowing that we have always belonged. This song and clip are a celebration of my people, of takatāpui who get up everyday and resist oppression just by existing. Through art making and performing; politics, activism and community organisation all the while raising families, reclaiming their language and remembering who we are and have always been.

“This clip stars heroes of mine – those who continue to weave our takatāpuitanga (queer Māori culture) by standing tall. You will see dancing on the steps of NZ Parliament Greens MP Dr. Elizabeth Kerekere, whose PhD and accompanying whāriki (weaving) ‘Mana Takatāpui’ inspired the name of this song; members of the legendary Pōneke (Wellington) based Tiwhanawhana Kapa Haka who formed 30 years ago as a place for takatāpui to stand proud in our tikanga (cultural practices), the gorgeous Tangaroa Paul, a non-binary model for Infamy Apparel and soon to be Dr. Tangaroa, Jacob Tamata, an exciting new choreographer and passionate advocate of vogue ballroom dancing, The Tiwhas, a Māori drag queen trio who serve takatāpui cabaret goodness wherever they go and Quack Pirihi, a brave, young non-binary activist who champions rangatahi (young people) growing up in a system that was never designed for Māori to succeed.

“Even though I have spent most of my life away from my land – making this album and clip has been a true homecoming. It is on my matrilineal moana (ocean) Whangaroa Harbour in Te Tai Tokerau (Northland NZ) that you can see me sailing along and singing while playing my Aunty Maera’s guitar.

“I hope this becomes the anthem takatāpui can sing at the top of their lungs in the car, cleaning the house, at the club (remixed!) or at the next Pride day. This song is for all of us. The joyful celebration we need and deserve right now.”

I Am The River, The River Is Me: