Te Vaka

Founded and Spearheaded by Opetaia Foa’i (multi award-winning composer and songwriter on Moana), Te Vaka is a Contemporary Polynesian band acclaimed for its distinct original sound and un-touristy devotion to the South Pacific and the stories of its ancestors. After 9 studio albums, over 20 years of touring to 40 countries, hit songs like Pate Pate and Tamahana (from the Legend of Johnny Lingo soundtrack), numerous awards and features by band members in many songs throughout the Moana soundtrack (not to mention Opetaia having written most of them), Te Vaka has solidified it’s position at the top of the Pacific Music scene. Viewed as ambassadors for the South Pacific, the band has performed at many major sporting events including the Beijing and London Olympics, the Rugby World Cup in Paris and the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. In August of 2017, after the success of Moana (songs including We Know the Way, Logo te Pate, An Innocent Warrior having been written by Opetaia and featuring Te Vaka singers and musicians), and after the band performed at both the prestigious Disney D23 Expo and the World Premiere of Moana at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, Walt Disney Records released Te Vaka’s Greatest Hits - Songs that Inspired Moana. This album included a bonus track, “Lakalaka” - the band’s latest single which (with the music video) played for 6 months in Disneyland resorts around the world. With Opetaia’s career recently catapulted into the spotlight, the band’s frontman and songwriter received, also in 2017, the “Special Recognition for Outstanding Achievement” award in the Pacific Music Awards and the “International Achievement Award” in the New Zealand Music Awards.

Band Member History 

 

Te Vaka line up 2015 Te Vaka line up 2016

2015

Te Vaka in 2016 at the World Premiere

Te-Vaka-band-2010-2011
Touring lineup 2010 - 2011

Te-Vaka-band-2008-2009
Touring lineup 2008 - 2009

 Te-Vaka-band-2007
Touring lineup 2007
 Te-Vaka-band-2005-2006
Touring lineup 2005-2006
 Te-Vaka-band-2004
Touring lineup 2004
 Te-Vaka-band-2003
Touring lineup 2003
 Te-Vaka-band-2002
Touring lineup 2002
 Te-Vaka-band-2001
Touring lineup 2001
 Te-Vaka-band-2000
Touring lineup 2000
 Te-Vaka-band-1999
Touring lineup 1999
 Te-Vaka-band-1997-1998
Touring lineup 1998-1997
 Te-Vaka-band-1996
First Lineup 1996