A new podcast series launched by RNZ offers an in-depth exploration of New Zealand’s identity through its music, examining how compositions across diverse genres reflect the nation’s cultural and social landscape. Hosted by Nick Bollinger, the series titled Song Navigator began airing last week and takes listeners on a journey through a broad spectrum of New Zealand songwriting, including waiata, hip-hop, orchestral works, and folk music.
Bollinger’s approach involved engaging with experts and artists to uncover the stories and meanings behind the music. For example, music professor Robert Hoskins provided insight into Douglas Lilburn’s orchestral piece Landfall In Unknown Seas, a subtle reflection on Abel Tasman’s arrival in New Zealand. Meanwhile, rapper Tipene Harmer shared the Polynesian histories embedded within his songs such as Kupe and Takitimu, highlighting the blending of contemporary and traditional narratives.
Throughout the series, recurring themes in New Zealand music became apparent. The sea emerges frequently as a powerful symbol, sometimes literal and other times metaphorical. Classic songs like Split Enz’s Six Months In A Leaky Boat, often interpreted as a sailing story, may instead represent the struggles of navigating the international music industry. Similarly, Dave Dobbyn’s Whaling is viewed as an expression of a musician’s loneliness on tour rather than a literal whaling tale.
The land and its significance also resonate strongly in the songs featured. Don McGlashan’s Dominion Road captures the urban environment’s character, while Tuirina Wehi’s Aotearoa, composed for the New Zealand Youth Choir, emphasizes how the health of the land, or whenua, reflects the wellbeing of society as a whole.
An unexpected pattern emerges in the focus on villains or anti-heroes rather than celebrated national figures. While significant individuals like Sir Edmund Hillary are less frequently the subjects of songs, notorious figures such as 19th-century child-killer Minnie Dean have been the focus of memorable compositions. The tradition of praising colorful or rebellious personalities continues with songs about figures like George Wilder, a well-known escapee from prison, or more contemporary daredevils such as the subject of Sven Olsen’s tribute to a boogie boarder who rode over Huka Falls.
The podcast also touches on universal themes such as love, showcasing a unique New Zealand perspective. One example is Moe Huri Huri, a 19th-century waiata aroha (love song) telling of a Ngāti Toa woman longing for her Pākehā lover, a whaler lost at sea.
Song Navigator seeks to provide listeners with a richer understanding of New Zealand through its music, weaving together diverse voices and stories to highlight how songs can reveal the nation’s complex identity. Bollinger invites the audience to join him in this ongoing exploration of what New Zealand’s songs express about who the people are and how they live.