Tihei Harawira has faced adversity all his life. Diagnosed with autism and dyslexia as a child, he remembers always feeling behind at school. Socially he was aware that he didn’t quite ‘fit’, and the bullying he suffered is a permanent scar from this time. But a chance encounter with two musicians set Tihei on the path to discovering his own unique way of connecting with others – freestyle rapping.
Originally from Kaitaia, Tihei now spends weekends at the Otara Markets where he turns any subject market patrons give him into a free-style rap.
