{{short description|New Zealand actor and musician}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Maaka Pohatu | image = Maaka Pohatu on The Cafe.jpg | caption = Pohatu in 2017 | instrument = Guitar, vocals | occupation = Actor, musician | genre = Māori Showband, comedy, drama, theatre | birth_place = Dunedin, New Zealand }}
'''Maaka Pohatu''' is a New Zealand actor and musician. He is also a founding member of Māori showband the Modern Māori Quartet.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11917533|title=Is the Modern Maori Quartet New Zealand's next big thing?|website=The New Zealand Herald|date=7 September 2017|accessdate=16 October 2019}}</ref> He co-wrote and performed songs, with the other band members, for the Modern Māori Quartet's debut album ''That's Us!'' (2017).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thebigidea.nz/stories/thats-us-modern-maori-quartet|title=That's Us! Modern Māori Quartet |website=The Big Idea |date=19 September 2017|accessdate=16 October 2019}}</ref>
Pohatu co-stars on the New Zealand mockumentary comedy horror television series ''Wellington Paranormal'', part of the ''What We Do in the Shadows'' franchise. In 2018, Pohatu, along with other members of Modern Māori Quartet, began touring their cabaret show ''Modern Māori Quartet: Two Worlds''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://witnessperformance.com/modern-maori-quartet-two-worlds/|title=Modern Māori Quartet:Two Worlds|website=witnessperformance.com|date=11 July 2019|accessdate=17 October 2019}}</ref> Pohatu co-hosted Māori Television's ''My Party Song'' as part of the Modern Māori Quartet.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.maoritelevision.com/shows/my-party-song|title=My Party Song|publisher=Māori Television|accessdate=16 October 2019}}</ref> He had featured roles in the films ''Two Little Boys'' (2012) and ''Poi E'' (2016).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nzfilm.co.nz/films/poi-e-story-our-song|title=Poi E: The Story of Our Song|website=nzfilm.nz.co|accessdate=16 October 2019}}</ref>
== Early life == Pohatu was born in Dunedin, New Zealand and is of Māori (Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Ngāti Apa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) descent. He is a graduate of Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School (Te Kura Toi Whakaari ō Aotearoa), earning a Bachelor of Performing Arts (Acting) in 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://toiwhakaari.ac.nz/graduates/|title=Toi Whakaari Graduates|publisher=Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School|date=15 February 2019|accessdate=16 October 2019|archive-date=24 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200424122324/https://toiwhakaari.ac.nz/graduates/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== Career ==
=== Theatre === Pohatu performed as Ajax in the te reo Māori version of ''Troilus and Cressida'' at the Globe Theatre in London, alongside fellow Toi Whakaari graduates and Modern Māori Quartet bandmates, James Tito (Diomedes) and Matu Ngaropo (Achilles).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://toiwhakaari.ac.nz/the-maori-troilus-cressida-an-amazing-success/|title=The Maori Troilus & Cressida|publisher=Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School|date=13 March 2012|accessdate=17 October 2019|archive-date=17 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191017220958/https://toiwhakaari.ac.nz/the-maori-troilus-cressida-an-amazing-success/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2012/apr/24/troilus-cressida-review/|title=Trolius and Cresida-Review|work=The Guardian|date=23 April 2012|accessdate=17 October 2019}}</ref> In January 2020, Pohatu performed in ''Modern Māori Quartet: Two Worlds'' at the Off-Broadway theatre, SoHo Playhouse.
=== Film and television === Pohatu made his movie debut as Gav, flatmate to Bret McKenzie's character, in ''Two Little Boys'' (2012).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nzonscreen.com/profile/maaka-pohatu|title=Maaka Pohatu|website=nzonscreen.com|accessdate=17 October 2019}}</ref> He portrayed Dalvanius Prime, the Māori musical legend behind the 1984 te reo Māori hit "Poi E", in the film ''Poi E'' (2016).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11680218|title=Poi E star Maaka Pohatu reveals his struggle with darkness|website=The New Zealand Herald|date=24 July 2016|accessdate=17 October 2019}}</ref> Pohatu, and the other members of the ''Modern Māori Quartet'', served as the in-house band on Māori television’s variety show, ''Happy Hour'' (2014).<ref>{{cite web|title=Temuera Morrison's Happy Hour|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/10447504/Temuera-Morrisons-Happy-Hour|website=stuff.co.nz|author=Bess Manson|date=2 September 2014}}</ref> He also acted in some of the show's comedy sketches. He plays the role of Sergeant Ruawai Maaka on ''Wellington Paranormal'', the New Zealand television spin-off of Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement's mockumentary ''What We Do in the Shadows''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/116587987/wellington-paranormal-why-it-continues-to-be-a-spookily-great-kiwi-comedy|title=Wellington Paranormal: Why it continues to be a spookily great Kiwi comedy|publisher=Stuff|date=16 October 2019|accessdate=17 October 2019}}</ref> In 2024 he appeared in ''The Rule of Jenny Pen''.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Rule of Jenny Pen |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6874690/ |website=IMDb |access-date=23 October 2024}}</ref>
In 2025, he had the title role of Warren Harrison in the science fiction comedy series ''Warren's Vortex''.<ref name=NZLIST>{{cite journal |last1=Baillie |first1=Russell |title=Shed a new twilight |journal=New Zealand Listener |date=23 August 2025 |pages=49-50 |publisher=Are Media Ltd |location=Auckland, NZ |issn=2381-9553|language=en}}</ref> He had a guest role in the premiere episode of ''Blue Murder Motel''.
=== Music === Pohatu is a member of the Māori showband the Modern Māori Quartet, alongside Francis Kora, Matariki Whatarau and James Tito.<ref name="nzh1">{{cite news |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kapiti-news/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=1504006&objectid=11902473|title=5 Questions with the Modern Māori Quartet|website=The New Zealand Herald|date=9 August 2017|accessdate=16 October 2019}}</ref>
== Personal life == Pohatu has been given the nickname "Human Jukebox" because of his extensive musical knowledge.<ref name="nzh1"/>
== Discography == * ''Happy Hour'' (2014) * ''That's Us!'' (2017)
== References == {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pohatu, Maaka}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Male actors from Dunedin Category:21st-century New Zealand guitarists Category:21st-century New Zealand male actors Category:21st-century New Zealand male singers Category:Musicians from Dunedin Category:New Zealand male film actors Category:New Zealand male Māori actors Category:New Zealand male singer-songwriters Category:New Zealand singer-songwriters Category:New Zealand male television actors Category:New Zealand Māori male singers Category:Ngāti Apa people Category:Ngāti Tūwharetoa people Category:Ngāi Tāmanuhiri people Category:Toi Whakaari alumni