Mau Power, born Patrick James Mau, is a hip hop artist from

Thursday Island Thursday Island, colloquially known as TI, or in the Kawrareg dialect, Waiben or Waibene, is an island of the Torres Strait Islands, an archipelago of at least 274 small islands in the Torres Strait. TI is located approximately north of Cape ...

in the

Torres Strait The Torres Strait (), also known as Zenadh Kes, is a strait between Australia and the Melanesian island of New Guinea. It is wide at its narrowest extent. To the south is Cape York Peninsula, the northernmost extremity of the Australian mai ...

and is the first Australian

rapper Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...

to tour from this region.Green Left Weekly, March 23, 2014, Mat Ward, Rapper Mau Power has the power to make change – The Show Will Go On https://www.greenleft.org.au/content/rapper-mau-power-has-power-make-changeABC Far North Queensland, August 28, 2014, Isaac Egan and Phil Staley, The power behind Mau, https://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2014/08/28/4076493.htmTriple J unearthed, Mau Power, https://www.triplejunearthed.com/artist/mau-powerThe Music Show, Andrew Ford, Mau Power, Torres Strait Islands' first rapper, https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/musicshow/mau-power-torres-strait-islands-hip-hop-seraphim-trio-piano-trio/11768730Australian Independent Record Labels Association, Sept 17, 2019, Mau Power – Arrived Power, https://www.air.org.au/news/4399/mau-power-arrived-feat-marcus-corowa He is also the founder and executive director of One Blood Hidden Image, the first Torres Strait independent record distribution label, film production and media company.The Combinator, Australia’s hip hop directory and community forum, Patrick Mau (Mau Power), https://australianhiphopdirectory.com/listing/patrick-mau/?doing_wp_cron=1564551345.0653600692749023437500

Career

While he recorded his first song in

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

when he was 17 and attending the

University of Southern Queensland The University of Southern Queensland (branded as UniSQ and formerly branded as USQ) is a medium-sized, regional university based in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, with three university campuses at Toowoomba, Springfield and Ipswich. It offe ...

. In 2012, Mau was a producer for the

National Indigenous Television National Indigenous Television (NITV) is an Australian free-to-air television channel that broadcasts programming produced and presented largely by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It includes the half-hourly nightly ''NITV News'' ...

(NITV) ''Our Stories''. Mau's second album ''The Show Will Go On'', an autobiography, was released in 2014Creative Spirits, Patrick Mau (Mau Power), https://www.creativespirits.info/resources/music/patrick-mau-power after being recorded over a period of two years. The album included a remake of "

My Island Home "My Island Home" is a rock song written by Neil Murray and George Burarrwanga. It was originally performed by the Warumpi Band. The song references lead singer's ( George Burarrwanga) home up at Elcho Island off the coast of Arnhem Land in th ...

", which he performed with

Christine Anu Christine Anu (born 15 March 1970) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. She gained popularity with the cover song release of the Warumpi Band's song " My Island Home". Anu has been nominated for 17 ARIA Awards. Early life Anu was bo ...

at the 2018 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

on the

Gold Coast Gold Coast may refer to: Places Africa * Gold Coast (region), in West Africa, which was made up of the following colonies, before being established as the independent nation of Ghana: ** Portuguese Gold Coast (Portuguese, 1482–1642) ** Dutch G ...

. In 2015, Mau was one selected as of the emerging Indigenous film producers to be part of the Screen Australia Indigenous Producers Initiative. He has also produced documentaries and music videos for NITV, SBS,

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

and online platforms. His production company also produces promotional and corporate films for health and educational organisations. Mau has toured nationally and internationally and also collaborated with Australian musicians

Archie Roach Archibald William Roach (8 January 1956 – 30 July 2022) was an Australian singer, songwriter and Aboriginal Australian, Aboriginal activist. Often referred to as "Uncle Archie", Roach was a Gunditjmara and Western Bundjalung people, Bundjalu ...

and

.SBS, October 25, 2016, Shami Sivasubramanian, Mau Power: "I saw hip hop as a culture of hope for people who didn’t have any opportunities", https://www.sbs.com.au/topics/life/culture/article/2016/07/01/mau-power-i-saw-hip-hop-culture-hope-people-who-didnt-have-any-opportunities

Eddie Mabo Edward Koiki Mabo (''né'' Sambo; 29 June 1936 – 21 January 1992) was an Indigenous Australian man from the Torres Strait Islands known for his role in campaigning for Indigenous land rights in Australia, in particular the landmark decision o ...

’s daughter,

Gail Mabo Gail Mabo (born 1965) is an Australian visual artist who has had her work exhibited across Australia. She is the daughter of land rights campaigner Eddie Mabo and educator and activist Bonita Mabo . She was formerly a dancer and choreographer. ...

, selected Mau to sing an

ode An ode (from grc, ᾠδή, ōdḗ) is a type of lyric poetry. Odes are elaborately structured poems praising or glorifying an event or individual, describing nature intellectually as well as emotionally. A classic ode is structured in three majo ...

she wrote to her father on the 20th anniversary of the

Mabo decision ''Mabo v Queensland (No 2)'' (commonly known as ''Mabo'') is a decision of the High Court of Australia, decided on 3 June 1992.. It is a landmark case, brought by Eddie Mabo against the State of Queensland. The case is notable for first reco ...

, which overturned the notion of ''

terra nullius ''Terra nullius'' (, plural ''terrae nullius'') is a Latin expression meaning " nobody's land". It was a principle sometimes used in international law to justify claims that territory may be acquired by a state's occupation of it. : : ...

'' in Australia.Amrap, Mau
Power – Koiki
ead link/ref> On 26 January 2020, Mau was a guest performer at the Sydney Indigenous Smoking Ceremony on

Australia Day Australia Day is the official national day of Australia. Observed annually on 26 January, it marks the 1788 landing of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove and raising of the Union Flag by Arthur Phillip following days of exploration of Port Ja ...

.National Indigenous Times, September 26, 2019, Mau Power weaves Torres Strait identity into new album, https://tvblackbox.com.au/page/2020/1/17/10-to-broadcast-indigenous-smoking-ceremony-live-for-australia-dayTV Blackbox, 10 to Broadcast Indigenous Smoking Ceremony LIVE for Australia Day, Kevin Perry, January 17, 2020, https://tvblackbox.com.au/page/2020/1/17/10-to-broadcast-indigenous-smoking-ceremony-live-for-australia-day In July 2020, he was nominated for two awards at the

National Indigenous Music Awards The National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMA), also known as the NT Indigenous Music Awards from 2004 to 2008, are music awards presented to recognise excellence, innovation and leadership among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians in ...

Personal

Mau Power, who grew up on Thursday Island in the Torres Strait, is a Dhoebaw man of the Guda Malullgal nations and is guided by two cultures: Indigeous (

Torres Strait Islander Torres Strait Islanders () are the Indigenous Melanesian people of the Torres Strait Islands, which are part of the state of Queensland, Australia. Ethnically distinct from the Aboriginal people of the rest of Australia, they are often grouped ...

), and hip hop. He was jailed in 2001 for nine months for a street fight and said this jail time made him reflect on his life, and he decided to focus on his music, which he said is dedicated to inspiring others.February 27, 2014, Mau Power: Growing Pains, https://www.deadlyvibe.com.au/2014/02/mau-power-growing-pains

Discography

Studio albums

Singles

Awards and nominations

National Indigenous Music Awards

The

(NIMA) is an annual award ceremony and recognises excellence, dedication, innovation and outstanding contribution to the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory ...

music industry. , - , rowspan="2", 2020 , "Himself" , Artist of the Year , , - , ''Blue Lotus the Awakening'' , Album of the Year , , -

Awards and nominations

J Awards

The

J Awards The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J and which are judged by the music and on-air teams from radio stations Triple J, ...

are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the

Australian Broadcasting Corporation The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is the national broadcaster of Australia. It is principally funded by direct grants from the Australian Government and is administered by a government-appointed board. The ABC is a publicly-own ...

's youth-focused radio station

Triple J Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian Radio in Australia, radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greate ...

. They commenced in 2005. , - ,

J Awards of 2020 The J Awards of 2020 were the sixteenth annual J Awards, established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. The eligibility period for releases took place between November 2019 and October 2020. Th ...

, Jaguar Jonze , Unearthed Artist of the Year , , -

Queensland Music Awards

The

Queensland Music Awards The Queensland Music Awards (commonly known as QMA and known as the Q Song Awards from 2006 to 2010) are annual awards celebrating Queensland's emerging artists. They commenced in 2006. Each year, the QMA Song of the Year is immortalised in a ...

(previously known as Q Song Awards) are annual awards celebrating

Queensland, Australia ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

's brightest emerging artists and established legends. They commenced in 2006. , - ,

2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...

, "Arrived" (featuring Marcus Corowa) , Indigenous Song of the Year , , -

References

External links

* {{Authority control Torres Strait Islanders Indigenous Australian musicians Living people Year of birth missing (living people)