By her own admission, Ria Hall confesses she's not much of a quiet singer and doesn't have a ‘turn down' volume on her voice.

'Coming from a haka background the last thing you do is be quiet. But what I do have is an open heart to share with you guys today.”

Tauranga musician Ria Hall singing her heart out during a performance at Tauranga Hospital today. The performance was part of the Bay of Plenty District Health Board's 2016 Matariki celebrations. Photo: David Tauranga

And that's exactly what Ria did when she performed a selection of her music to patients, clinical staff and members of the public at Tauranga Hospital this afternoon.

Of Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Te Whānau ā Apanui, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Tūwharetoa and Waikato descent, the singer/songwriter's performance was part of the Bay of Plenty District Health Board's 2016 Matariki celebrations.

'Matariki means a lot of different things to a lot of different people, however you choose to perceive Matariki is entirely up to you,” she told the packed room this afternoon.

'For me it's about reflecting what's gone on in the past year, and sowing the seeds now so we may revel in the fruits in a year's time.

'It's a time where it's a little bit cooler so we tend to gather together more to keep each other warm. It's about keeping family ties, for me it is, and staying true to who you are.”

Tauranga Hospital's newly established kapa haka group performing a waiata to open today's event.

Organised by the BOPDHB Regional Maori Health Unit, the event opened with whaikōrero (formal speeches) from Te Pona Martin of Te Pou Kokiri and Māori Health Planning and Funding's Dillon Te Kani, followed by a waiata from Tauranga Hospital's newly established kapa haka group.

It was then Ria's turn and over the course of her 40 minute performance she performed five songs – two of which were unreleased tracks.

In between each song she also took the opportunity to speak to the audience, with Ria offering tales about her own past, explaing the backgrounds to some of her waiata, reflections on Tauranga Moana's history and her own insights into health and wellbeing.

With just a microphone and backing track, her voice ranged from delicate beauty to raw power, and there were several moments when she launched into a chorus and blew the roof off the hospital's library – leaving the audience spellbound.

Regional Maori Health Unit director Amohaere Tangitu says she greatly enjoyed Ria's performance today, but also believes the BOPDHB should be celebrated for its support of kaupapa Māori (Māori practices, principles and ideology) and for creating an environment which allows for performance like today's to take place.

For Amohaere, a big highlight of Ria's performance was her ability to promote wellbeing from a Māori perspective to an audience made up of people who were not solely Māori.

'That's what Ria did when she spoke in between her songs, in both Māori and English, there was a bilingual message there,” she explains.

'For myself, our staff and our community that was a highlight. You could see the staff leaders, who are very influential in their own departments, connecting to that message, what Ria was singing and saying. I'm really excited about that.

'I think her performance was a real highlight that benefitted the whole family of Tauranga Hospital, and we are a family.”

Today's event was just one of a number of ways the BOPDHB is embracing Matariki this year and includes temporary signage on wards promoting te reo Māori, Matariki-inspired art displays erected around the Tauranga and Whakatāne hospitals and even a Matariki-themed Amazing Race for staff.

While In a fortnight's time, respected Māori leader and Bay of Plenty Regional councillor Te Awanuārangi Black will be presenting a talk titled Ko Te Reo Māori, hei rongoā: Maori Language = The Medicine at the Tauranga Hospital's library on July 12.