11 October 2022 is the day I met Tihei. Christchurch central was vibrant and busy as I walked past shoppers and the familiar faces of those who live on the streets and towards the Bridge of Remembrance where colourful figures do their thing. On this day, a man standing between his walker swinging poi, a group of well-dressed men and women standing behind a Free Bible Class sign (one in a cream suit and off to the side in animated conversation with another not so well dressed man), and someone rapping.

As he rapped to a beat playing through a speaker, he blended in with the scene, until he upped the volume and let loose a string of profanities – “living in the city is really f… shitty…” Jolted from our realities, everyone stopped to watch, including the cream-suited man who swung around, as someone casually walked up to him to take the mike. Now without a mike, he walked away and towards a group of the familiar faces, while apologising sheepishly for his language. Then, in an instant, it became “as you were” as we all resumed whatever we were doing.

I went and sat on the stone bench in front of the Bridge of Remembrance.  The man who had taken the mike held a sign I couldn’t read as we faced the same way, towards the city. When he began to rap there was an ease to him – just doing his thing and unfazed as people carried on with their business.

When he paused, I walked up to him to tell him how good I thought he was and to look at his sign. It read “Tihei”. Taken by surprise when he asked me to give him a topic, my mind reached for something interesting, but all it came up with was, “Christchurch”. He then asked me to get out my phone and record him. I have written the last part of his words below, though it doesn’t capture his lyricism.

Rest in peace to the victims from the earthquake

In 2011 it wasn’t feeling great

for the whole community to feel separated

but we all united cause the people felt frustrated

this whole town, I mean this whole city

stuck together and united and made it feel pretty

for every town for every community

that’s what it did, no division, it brought unity

between all and made em stand tall

that’s why I support em

and bring to the fore my breath

and I’ll say with my very last breath

and put it in one word

Christchurch

I watched on in awe as someone else gave him the topic of basketball. As he performed, he listed names and dates while still rhythmical and entirely in the flow.

Later at the library, I saw Tihei’s name listed with others under a Q&A session on a poster about a Hip Hop convention that week. So, two days later I sat amongst a small audience to find out more about him.

One of the first things Tihei talked about was how he is often disregarded because of his disability. He has autism and as a kid he faced relentless bullying. His parents had brought him up on National Geographic and history books – never the likes of Winnie the Pooh. “I was brought up to “learn about reality” and his ability to remember facts is impressive.  He hangs everything off dates. As he talked about events in his life, he always gave dates, including the time he met Nelson Mandela on Hobson Street Auckland on 13 November 1995.   And when asked a question by others in the audience, who had some sort of standing in the music industry, before answering he told everyone their birthdate and age. One man in the audience said he regarded him as New Zealand’s best freestyler. That didn’t surprise me. 

Watch this short (3 min) clip to find out more about Tihei.

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