Profile Text
Birth Name: Briolette Kah Bic Runga
Place of Birth: Christchurch, New Zealand
Date of Birth: 13 January, 1976
Ethnicity: * father – Māori, some British Isles * mother – Chinese-Malaysian
Bic Runga is a New Zealand singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist pop artist.
Her father, Joseph Runga (Joseph Te Okoro Runga), was a Māori serviceman, of Ngāti Kahungunu. Her mother, Sophia Tang (born Leong Lai Ying), is a Chinese Malaysian singer. She is the sister of musicians Pearl Runga and Boh Runga . She has three children with her partner, singer Kody Nielson, of The Mint Chicks.
Bic’s paternal grandfather was Kingi Apatu Runga, aka Kingi Teokoro Runga (the son of Tuahine Te Okoro Runga and Hera Te Here Pukapuka Tareha Greening). Kingi was raised by his relatives, Herbert Keil and Sarah Robinson. Tuahine was the son of Hamuera Runga and Te Paoa Runga. Hera was the daughter of William Paihau Henry Greening and Maata Te Kaiamahaki Christy.
Bic’s paternal grandmother was Eva Constance Tong (the daughter of Robert Dawson Tong and Catherine Charlotte Butwell).
Source: Genealogy of Bic Runga – http://www.geni.com
Online cenotaph of Bic’s father – https://www.aucklandmuseum.com
Military record of Bic’s paternal grandfather, Kingi Teokoro Runga – https://28maoribattalion.org.nz
Genealogy of Bic’s paternal grandfather, Kingi Teokoro Runga (focusing on his mother’s side) – https://www.familysearch.org