Kāwai Sound System was built by Tūrāhui Payne in December 2025 after returning from living in the UK. The system was built to introduce the youth to sound system culture and its values of authenticity, expression, and unity. This system was built by salvaged drivers and MDF boards glued together. The mission was to show the youth that you can bring people together with a system made out of scraps. Since its creation, it’s featured in a 2026 Waitangi Celebration in the Christchurch Red Zone, a weekly creative social night series called ‘After Hours: Hui Ā-Oro’, as well as our sold out debut session titled ‘Whenua Step 1!’. Our crew champions voices of the youth, our māori culture, and traditional sound system culture. The music we play is Reggae, dub, dancehall, and Jungle. Our events push heavily on tāngata moana motifs with the intention of showcasing our cultures in a way that breathes fresh air into the dance scene in NZ. Our focus is to bring all peoples together, dance together, and unify under the guidance of those who’ve come before us.