Home victory in Homai Te Pakipaki competition

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Home victory in Homai Te Pakipaki competition

Saturday, October 13, 2012

A GISBORNE meat-worker wowed the live audience with his rendition of a classic R. Kelly ballad to win the Homai Te Pakipaki grand final last night.

Hukanui Brown, 22, who is also a representative golfer for Poverty Bay, was one of three Gisborne finalists to perform at the live final of the Maori Television series to a full house at Auckland’s Logan Campbell Centre.

A rendition of I believe I can fly saw Mr Brown (Rongowhakaata) take home the prize money of $10,000, a swimming pool donated by UBuy and the mana of the title of Homai Te Pakipaki champion 2012.

When presenters Pikiteora Mura-Hita and Matai Smith called out his name as the winner, he said he was in shock and could not believe it.

“I did not expect this at all,” he said.

“I’ve had heaps of fun just coming up here to showcase my talent.”

In a Homai Te Pakipaki first, Mr Brown’s father Whata also made it through to the finals this year.

He could not be happier that he and his father both got to compete on the grand final stage.

“Me and dad already won by being here, so winning was the ultimate.”

An emotional Whata Brown was thrilled with his son’s win, saying he gave his five text votes to Hukanui.

“As far as I am concerned we both won. We have made Homai Te Pakipaki history,” said Whata Brown.

Following Hukanui Brown in the text-voting for the runner-up prize was Diane Tibble (Ngati Porou/Tuhoe) of Rotorua, who sang Young hearts run free.

Te Karaka man Geoffrey Pari (Ngai Tuhoe) was the other Gisborne finalist and performed a rendition of Bob Marley’s Is this love.

Last year’s winner Chad Chambers — whose family come from Tokomaru Bay — performed his new song Children during the final.

GISBORNE’S GOT TALENT: Homai Te Pakipaki 2012 winner Hukanui Brown performs the R. Kelly ballad I believe I can fly at the live event last night. Picture by James Ensing-Trussell

Comments

Tania Cook

05:39 p.m. Saturday, Oct 13, 2012

Well done Hukanui! Such a quiet and humble young man with such an amazing talent!
Look forward to seeing you as a guest performer on Homai Te Pakipaki in 2013.

nancy miriama hunt

02:03 a.m. Friday, Oct 19, 2012

Biggest congratulations to you Hukanui Brown . . . Rongowhakaata Represents!

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