Career
Her iwi is Ngati Porou and her hapu is Te Whanau a Ruataupare. Tuini Ngawai composed many songs using European tunes, to encourage Māori pride and, from 1939, to raise morale among Māori at home and at the war. Many, such as Hoki mai e tama mā and East te Hokowhiti-a-Tū (to the tune of In the Mood) are still sung today.