4/4 Pacific Music + Arts Volume 2:2 Oct 2017 | Page 18

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Writer: P. Togi-Sa'ena
BROTHER LOVE - RAHUI VAKA
2017 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENT
The 2017 Manukau Institute of Technology Lifetime Achievement Award was awarded to Rahui Vaka, more
commonly known as Brother Love.
Brother Love had been pre-announced as the recipient prior to the awards ceremony – to a wonderful
public response, especially from the Cook Island community. This very special award category honours the
career and signifi cant contribution by an artist to Pacifi c music. MIT proudly presented the award on the
night to Brother Love.
Brother Love is a leading force for Pacifi c music. He revolutionised Cook Islands music with his own take
on the ukulele sound and adding the infl uence of blues. He encouraged a new sound, which was raw and
stripped-back, refl ecting the true sound of the Cook Islands. He demonstrated this sound, as a founding
member of the band Sunset Special. Brother Love has worked with Heimana Music for the last 30 years to
promote Cook Island music to the world. He may be most well known for the phenomenal hit “Ruketekete
Te Mamae” aka “ The Roimata Song” – released with Heimana Music in 1996. This is one of those
instantly recognisable songs loved fi rstly by his Cook Island people, but has been adopted in NZ and the
Pacifi c, and has also been shared around the world. And 20 years later, the song is as huge as ever and
is still a huge hit today!
In 2014, he was inducted into the Cook Islands Music Hall of Fame; and now joins the prestigious line up
of past recipients for the Lifetime Achievement Award, who include Bill Sevesi, The Yandall Sisters, Ardijah
and Tigilau Ness.
Brother Love is a true icon of Cook Islands music and it was an honour for the VPMAs to celebrate his
career and celebrate his contribution to Pacifi c music at the 2017 VPMA awards ceremony
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