{{use New Zealand English|date=April 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} thumb|right|Umaga in 2012 '''Fonotī Pati Peni Umaga''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|QSM}} is a New Zealand musician known for his compositions and musicianship as a bass guitar player, and significant contributions to the music industry, as well as his advocacy for the Pacific and Disabled communities. He works in the disability services sector.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Outstanding Pasifika artists celebrated at the Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifika Awards 2019|url=https://www.thecoconet.tv/coco-talanoa/whats-new/outstanding-pasifika-artists-celebrated-at/ |access-date=2022-03-09 |website=thecoconet.tv |archive-date=9 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309025557/https://www.thecoconet.tv/coco-talanoa/whats-new/outstanding-pasifika-artists-celebrated-at/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Early life== Umaga's parents were part of the 15,000 Samoans who immigrated to New Zealand between the 1950s to 1970s, first arriving in Newtown, Wellington, before moving to Wainuiomata in 1964, where housing was affordable. They set up the first Samoan church in the area.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=An Immigrant Nation - Searching for Paradise |url=https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/searching-for-paradise-1996 |access-date=2022-03-21 |website=NZ On Screen |language=en |archive-date=5 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220305034029/https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/searching-for-paradise-1996 |url-status=live }}</ref> Umaga had an accident in 2005 that left him with a disability.<ref name=":2" />
==Community involvement== Umaga received the Queens Service Medal in the 2012 New Year Honours, for services to the Pacific community,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/publications/new-year-honours-list-2012 |title=New Year honours list 2012|date=31 December 2011 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=24 April 2022}}</ref> and in 2015 he was awarded the Arts Access Te Putanga Toi Arts Access Award for Artistic Achievement.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Punch |first=Pantograph |title=Fonoti Pati Umaga |url=https://pantograph-punch.com//writers/fonoti-pati-umaga |access-date=2022-03-20 |website=Pantograph Punch |archive-date=24 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220424053222/https://pantograph-punch.com/writers/fonoti-pati-umaga |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last= |title=Pati Umaga: sounds of empowerment |url=https://artsaccessadvocates.org.nz/pati%20umaga%20sounds%20of%20empowerment |access-date=2022-03-19 |website=Arts Access Advocates |language=en-NZ |archive-date=7 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307123327/https://artsaccessadvocates.org.nz/pati%20umaga%20sounds%20of%20empowerment |url-status=live }}</ref>
He was the first recipient of Creative New Zealand's Arts Pasifika Awards, Pacific Toa Award in 2019, and was also inducted into the Attitude Awards Hall of Fame that same year.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last= |last2= |first2= |last3= |first3= |title=Outstanding Pasifika artists to be celebrated |url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU1910/S00081/outstanding-pasifika-artists-to-be-celebrated.htm |access-date=2022-03-09 |website=Scoop News |archive-date=14 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214215222/https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU1910/S00081/outstanding-pasifika-artists-to-be-celebrated.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> When he received the award his thoughts about it were: "For the disabled community to be acknowledged in this way, promoting and advocating for full participation and inclusion in our Pacific community in the broader art sector."'''<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Samoan songwriter, disability advocate recognised for contribution to the arts |url=https://pacificmedianetwork.com/articles/samoan-songwriterdisability-advocate-recognised-for-contribution-to-the-arts |access-date=2022-03-09 |website=Pacific Media Network |archive-date=9 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309025557/https://pacificmedianetwork.com/articles/samoan-songwriterdisability-advocate-recognised-for-contribution-to-the-arts |url-status=live }}</ref>'''
In 2021 Umaga wrote a composition that was presented at the Kia Mau Festival called ''Le Taua o le Pepeve’a'' about a special 'kingly fine mat' called Pepeve'a that was gifted to a son by his father that 'launched sibling rivalry and a war over titles and the kingship' in the 16th century.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-05-28 |title=Kia Mau Festival 2021 {{!}} Te Mauri o Pōhutu |url=https://kiamaufestival.org/events/taua-o-le-pepevea/ |access-date=2022-03-09 |website=Kia Mau Festival |language=en-US |archive-date=9 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309025558/https://kiamaufestival.org/events/taua-o-le-pepevea/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Other music Umaga has created includes a song to address stigma of disability called ''Rise and Shine'' featuring high-school student group 'Tone6'.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rise and Shine |url=https://www.pasefikaproud.co.nz/stories/rise-and-shine |access-date=2022-03-09 |website=Pasefika Proud |archive-date=9 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309025559/https://www.pasefikaproud.co.nz/stories/rise-and-shine |url-status=live }}</ref>
Umaga is an Inquiry Senior Pasefika Engagement Advisor for the New Zealand Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care that is 'looking into what happened to children, young people and vulnerable adults in State and faith-based care in New Zealand between the years 1950–99.' As part of this work 'fono' (a Samoan word that relates to meetings or councils) were held to inform the community as well as speaking engagements at organisations such as at Spectrum Care in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pasefika fono held in Auckland |url=https://www.abuseincare.org.nz/our-progress/news/pasefika-fono-held-in-auckland |access-date=2022-03-09 |website=Abuse in Care - Royal Commission of Inquiry |archive-date=9 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309025558/https://www.abuseincare.org.nz/our-progress/news/pasefika-fono-held-in-auckland |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-12-11 |title=Honoured Pacifica Guests visit Spectrum Care |url=https://www.spectrumcare.org.nz/honoured-pacifica-guests-visit-spectrum-care/ |access-date=2022-04-24 |website=Spectrum Care |language=en |archive-date=4 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220204040623/https://www.spectrumcare.org.nz/honoured-pacifica-guests-visit-spectrum-care/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
Umaga is a trustee of the Pacific Music Awards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Celebrating Pacific Music |url=https://www.pacificmusicawards.org.nz/about.html |access-date=2022-04-24 |website=Pacific Music Awards |language=en |archive-date=25 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220125065206/https://www.pacificmusicawards.org.nz/about.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == Fonotī Pati Umaga - An Immigrant Nation - Searching for Paradise https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/searching-for-paradise-1996
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Umaga, Pati}} Category:Samoan musicians Category:New Zealand disability rights activists Category:New Zealand musicians Category:Recipients of the Queen's Service Medal Category:New Zealand people of Samoan descent Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people