Rachel Farrell
We did it Aotearoa ... Officially Amazing

In the words of Brian Soble, Guinness World Records adjudicator, we are Officially Amazing!

It was a proud moment at Eden Park on Sunday 29th September. The wairua and aroha swirling in the air was electric as Aotearoa stood united in our diversity to settle the world record - and we did exactly that! Tāmaki Makaurau set the stage for 6467 people to claim a new Guinness World Record for the Largest Haka.

We did it Aotearoa ... Officially Amazing
Rachel Farrell
Raukatauri turns 20!
Raukatauri turns 20!
Rachel Farrell
New Hawke’s Bay Centre!

Since opening our Regional Centre in the Hawke’s Bay, Raukatauri was made to feel at home in our space at Tamatea High School and Havelocke North Function Centre, where we ran sessions out of from Monday to Saturday. However, with the team growing, and more clients incoming, we have been hankering for a space to call all of our own, which is why we were so excited to be able to find that space in the Taikura House! Read all about our new centre and opening celebration by following the link below.

New Hawke’s Bay Centre!
Rachel Farrell
John Thought He Would Never Play Again

John McKay has been a musician for as long as he can remember, learning the recorder and ukulele at primary school and then progressing to Highland bagpipes at age 10. However, when John was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2018, he thought that he would need to give up on music and began to sell his large collection of instruments. Since beginning music therapy last year John has gone from strength to strength, and has reconnected with his old bandmates, resumed teaching the bagpipes to local beginners and re-joined his community ukulele group.  We’re honoured that John and his community of musicians in Whakatāne are giving back to Raukatauri and hosting an open mic fundraiser at their favourite local, Mata Brewery, during Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa/NZ Music Month.

John Thought He Would Never Play Again
Rachel Farrell
Master of Music Therapy Award Launches for ...

One of our most exciting achievements this year was our partnership with the Gattung Family Foundation and The Kate Edgar Educational Charitable Trust to create the KEECT Master of Music Therapy Award. This scholarship supports the full-time study of music therapy for wāhine Māori/Pasifika and includes a full year of music therapy training and a student placement with Raukatauri! We are passionate about encouraging diversity within the music therapy profession, and are thrilled to be a part of this mahi that will enable more Māori and Pasifika women to carry out full-time study for a Master of Music Therapy.

Master of Music Therapy Award Launches for Māori and Pasifika Wāhine

Selwyn Foundation Christmas Album - as heard on RNZ!

When delivering their weekly music therapy aged-care sessions our team experience so much more than the simplistic view of cognitive decline. Stemming from discussions with the Selwyn team an idea to create an album celebrating the residents creativity and participation was born.

Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Raukatauri’s own Registered Music Therapists, with instrumentals and vocal performed by residents from the Selwyn Foundation, this might be the best Christmas Album ever and is available for download.

We did it Aotearoa ... Officially Amazing

We did it Aotearoa ... Officially Amazing

In the words of Brian Soble, Guinness World Records adjudicator, we are Officially Amazing!

It was a proud moment at Eden Park on Sunday 29th September. The wairua and aroha swirling in the air was electric as Aotearoa stood united in our diversity to settle the world record - and we did exactly that! Tāmaki Makaurau set the stage for 6467 people to claim a new Guinness World Record for the Largest Haka.

Honour Our Heritage, Aotearoa: Unite to Reclaim the Haka World Record!

Honour Our Heritage, Aotearoa: Unite to Reclaim the Haka World Record!

In a remarkable demonstration of honouring our heritage, New Zealanders are being called to stand as a nation to reclaim an official GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for the world’s largest Haka. This momentous occasion is set to take place at Eden Park on Sunday 29th September, a record-breaking spectacle which also forms part of Raukatauri’s 20th-anniversary celebrations.

Registrations for GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title attempt for the world’s largest Haka now open at www.hakarecord.co.nz.

Raukatauri turns 20!

On 18th March 2024 Raukatauri celebrated 20 years in operation. From one music therapist, a piano, his violin and a handful of instruments in Auckland we now work with approximately 1,000 clients across the Upper North Island.

This journey was beautifully captured by our friends at TVNZ on their Sunday programme. In case you missed it you can watch it here (or click the image below), and Te Aniwa Hurihanganui’s wonderful digital news feature is available too.

There have been many special people who have played an essential part in Raukatauri’s growth and development - from Trustees and staff to supporters, funders, and of course our clients and families. Thank you all for helping us to reach this amazing milestone … here’s to another 20 years!

Two More Student Scholarships

Last year in December we announced the exciting news that we were supporting The Kate Edger Educational Charitable Trust (KEECT) to launch a new Master of Music Therapy Award, sponsored by the Gattung Foundation. We are thrilled to announce that since then another two Music Therapy Awards have been created! The first award was created by a private sponsor, Mr Ellis Coxon, and the second is in collaboration with MusicHelps, a charity that support hundreds of projects across New Zealand, each using the power of music to change the lives of thousands of New Zealanders in need. Find out all about these two scholarships at the link.

New Hawke’s Bay Centre!

New Hawke’s Bay Centre!

Since opening our Regional Centre in the Hawke’s Bay, Raukatauri was made to feel at home in our space at Tamatea High School and Havelocke North Function Centre, where we ran sessions out of from Monday to Saturday. However, with the team growing, and more clients incoming, we have been hankering for a space to call all of our own, which is why we were so excited to be able to find that space in the Taikura House! Read all about our new centre and opening celebration by following the link below.

John Thought He Would Never Play Again

John Thought He Would Never Play Again

John McKay has been a musician for as long as he can remember, learning the recorder and ukulele at primary school and then progressing to Highland bagpipes at age 10. However, when John was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2018, he thought that he would need to give up on music and began to sell his large collection of instruments. Since beginning music therapy last year John has gone from strength to strength, and has reconnected with his old bandmates, resumed teaching the bagpipes to local beginners and re-joined his community ukulele group.  We’re honoured that John and his community of musicians in Whakatāne are giving back to Raukatauri and hosting an open mic fundraiser at their favourite local, Mata Brewery, during Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa/NZ Music Month.

Ladies Lunch Fundraising Event

We had a fabulous afternoon at our Ladies Lunch fundraiser that was held at the end of March. The afternoon was highlighted by fashion runway shows featuring five of Aotearoa’s top designers, the incredible Zambesi Store, Tanya Carlson, W by Working Style, Kate Sylvester, and Maggie Marilyn. The vibes were lovely, the food was delicious, the guests were wonderful, and we're so excited to be able to say we raised over $30,000!!

Master of Music Therapy Award Launches for Māori and Pasifika Wāhine

Master of Music Therapy Award Launches for Māori and Pasifika Wāhine

One of our most exciting achievements this year was our partnership with the Gattung Family Foundation and The Kate Edgar Educational Charitable Trust to create the KEECT Master of Music Therapy Award. This scholarship supports the full-time study of music therapy for wāhine Māori/Pasifika and includes a full year of music therapy training and a student placement with Raukatauri! We are passionate about encouraging diversity within the music therapy profession, and are thrilled to be a part of this mahi that will enable more Māori and Pasifika women to carry out full-time study for a Master of Music Therapy.

Our New Northland Kāinga

Our New Northland Kāinga

In 2019 we opened our first Regional Centre in the beautiful Old Library in the middle of Whangārei. We offered sessions two days a week with one, part-time, music therapist. Now, in 2022, we are so proud to be able to offer music therapy sessions five days a week, with four full-time music therapists, who serve over 300 clients all the way from Whangārei to Ahipara. And, as much as we cherished our time in the Whangārei Old Library, we are absolutely thrilled that we now need a bigger, dedicated space for music therapy and that we are now able to serve more of Te Tai Tōkerau.