Niccolo Piccolo's debut bilingual tamariki album 'Te Ngahere'
- Publish date
- Monday, 14 Sep 2026, 8:09AM
Niccolo Piccolo (Nicola Mitchell (Ngāti Maniapoto)) has released her debut bilingual album for tamariki - Te Ngahere!
Just in time for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week), the album takes young listeners on an adventure through te taiao (the natural world), with waiata (songs) about our beautiful ngahere (forest/bush), waka, and manu (birds), all designed to encourage tamariki and whānau to sing, learn and explore together.
Te Ngahere features 13 tracks, including previously released favourites Mauri Ora, Row My Waka, Tama te Tūī and The Bellbirds, alongside new songs such as Hurihuri, Kody The Kiwi, Ko Wai Ahau and the album's title track.
Niccolo Piccolo's debut album also opens and closes with karakia, creating a full musical journey from beginning to end.
Te Ngahere tracklist:
- Tukua Rā (Karakia Whakatūwhera)
- Mauri Ora
- Row My Waka
- Tama te Tūī
- Hurihuri (Reo Māori)
- Kody The Kiwi
- Ko Wai Ahau
- Ka Kakakaka (Arero Whīwhiwhi)
- Te Ngahere
- I Te Ao, I Te Pō (Reo Māori)
- The Bellbirds
- Ngā Korimako (Reo Māori)
- Tuia Te Iwi (Karakia Whakakapi)
Speaking about the project, Niccolo said she hopes the album creates a welcoming space for learners at every stage of their reo journey.
"Our differences in reo, what we can learn from each other, and our differences as humans are what make sharing our language with each other so beautiful."
"As a reo learner myself, I hope that's the message that whānau can take away from Te Ngahere - that they feel welcome to be a part of this kaupapa, no matter where they're at on their reo haerenga."
Created with support from Te Māngai Pāho, Creative New Zealand and the APRA Aotearoa Mentorship Programme, Te Ngahere is an invitation for whānau to listen, sing, learn and connect with the natural world together - wherever they may be on their reo haerenga!
Niccolo Piccolo was crafted by award-winning touring artist; Nicola Mitchell (Ngāti Maniapoto) - a country/folk singer with a passion for te ao Māori!
Nicola is in rumaki reo (language immersion) at Te Wānanga o Raukawa on the Kapiti Coast and has been lucky enough to work with some pretty amazing tangata (people) to build this Kaupapa (Project) with tangata like THEIA (Te Kaahu, TŪĪ/AMA Nominee), KOMMI (Mātanga Reo/translator for Marlon Williams) & Byllie-Jean (Tate Music Prize winner 2025) as well as the Tamariki/Kids from across Aotearoa who wrote some of the waiata with her also.
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