Hinewehi Mohi

Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tūhoe

Dame Hinewehi Mohi has tribal affiliations with Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāi Tūhoe. Born in the Hawke's Bay town of Waipukurau, she attended St Joseph's Māori Girls' School in Napier. Mohi earned her Bachelor of Arts in Māori from the University of Waikato in 1985. As a student, she was enthusiastic about te reo Māori and the performing arts, and was a member of Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato Kapa Haka. In 2015, Mohi was awarded the University of Waikato's Distinguished Alumni Award for her commitment to the betterment of her country through philanthropy and performing arts and for her contribution to Māori.

Mohi's career began in the television industry, and she is still involved with producing Māori content more than 30 years later. She has worked as a researcher, presenter, director and producer on Māori-focused content that has added to and reinforced the growing movement of Māori culture and language revival. She continues to work in the industry, producing Māori content for television and digital platforms through the production company she runs with her husband.

As a singer and songwriter, Mohi has released three albums. Her first, Oceania, was released to great acclaim in 1999. It was described as 'a beautiful collection of haunting melodies' and was the first contemporary Māori language album to be released internationally.

In 1999, while promoting her album in London, Mohi was asked to sing the New Zealand national anthem at a rugby game in Twickenham. She chose to sing the anthem only in Māori, attracting media attention in the process. While the anthem had been sung in Māori many times, it was the first time that it had been sung in Māori at an international rugby match. It is now customary to sing the anthem in both Te Reo Māori and English at important events.

Mohi is well-known for her passion for music, and for her belief in its therapeutic power. After her daughter Hineraukatauri was born with cerebral palsy, Hinewehi established the Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre in 2004 to support children and their families. The Centre helps people with a wide range of special needs, including developmental disorders and intellectual and physical disabilities. As a co-founder and trustee, Hinewehi is a tireless fundraiser for the Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre; since its creation, the Centre has gained ongoing support from several high-profile New Zealanders.

In addition to her achievements in the performing arts and commitment to philanthropy, Hinewehi has been described by those who know her as a woman of remarkable strength and character. In 2008 she was named a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to Māori, and In the 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours, Mohi was promoted to Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to Māori, music and television. In 2013 she was a semi-finalist for New Zealander of the Year and a finalist in 2022. At the 2022 NZ Radio Awards Mohi was awarded for Outstanding Contribution to Radio.

Information about Hinewehi Mohi and her music for film and television can also be found on the NZ On Screen website.