Aro - Tohorā: Music Video Release

The beautiful video for Tohorā, the latest release of bilingual husband and wife duo Aro, sees Charles and Emily Looker (née Rice) team up with director Hattie Adams and producer Ryan Bradley.

“The song is about the way a Tohorā (whale) is depicted in Māori legend as a guardian. It’s a dedication to those who have been there for us when we needed them to be.

“According to Northland iwi the Kauri tree is the ancestor of the sperm whale. Many moons ago Parāoa called out to Kauri from the sea, “Hey Kauri, come join me in the ocean.” But Kauri said, “I don’t think so. It’s much warmer for my roots here on the land”

Tohorā is the final track from Charles (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Te Ata, Te Ati Awa) and Emily’s EP He Wai, released in 2021. He Wai is made up of 5 waiata which speak to our relationship to te taiao and what we can learn about ourselves and each other from it. The video combines stunning scenic shots with Georgia Shattky’s moving animations to provide a unique perspective on a legend of the kinship of a kaitiaki.

Watch the video for Tohorā below: