Tribe 801 Making Waves on the Music Scene

In late June, Tribe 801 was one of 12 bands chosen to perform at the BNZ Theatre events centre for the Smokefree Tangata Beats Auckland Regional Final. The group of four Year 13 and two year 11 students performed two original songs.

One of those songs titled We Are One was recently nominated as a finalist in the  Play It Strange Peace Song competition. As finalists, Tribe 801 will get to spend a day at a professional recording studio where their song will be recorded, mastered and put onto the 2024 Peace Song digital album.

The Play it Strange programme has been supporting and encouraging young New Zealand songwriters to write, record and perform their own songs for the past 20 years. Alumni include Kimbra, Mereana Teka, Park Road and many other talented musicians who have achieved ongoing success following recognition and recording opportunities offered by Play it Strange.

Tausisi Amituanai is the Tribe 801 drummer and band manager. The Year 13 student enjoys the camaraderie of performing with his fellow friends and musicians including Kolo Vainikolo on guitar, Tapiwa Mupfudza on keys, with Leilani Mua, Brooklyn Tilton-Mist and Catherine Anitoni as the vocalists. Both Tausisi and Leilani also playing bass. Tausisi says the girls typically write the lyrics and the guys take the words and sort the instrumental arrangements.   

Like other members of the group, Tausisi performs music outside of his school commitments including at church  Next year he is planning to join the army and hopefully will become a member of the NZ Army Band.

Tribe 801 has been in existence long before Tausisi joined the band as a Year 12 student last year – he recalls his sister being involved when Tribe 801 made the Auckland Smokefree regional finals in 2022. The band name is a nod to the school address; Wesley College is located at 801 Paerata Road, Paerata.