Maori Battalion Entertainers

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 362, 24 January 1941, Page 8

Maori Battalion Entertainers

POPULAR CONCERT AT ALDERSHOT ENGLISH AUDIENCE THRILLED WHAKATANE BOY'S PART IN PROGRAMME From the "Aldershot News" a publication dealing with the activities of overseas troops now in England, we reprint the following article which describes a concert by members of the New Zealand Maori Battalion now encamped there. The mention of Lieutenant H. O. Stewart of Whakatane will no doubt make the article doubly interesting. "Maori Battali.Mi march to victory, Maori Battalion staunch and true; Maori Battalion march to glory. Take the honour of your people with you. You will march, march, march to victory, And fight right to the end, For God, for King and for country, Ake ake kia kaha (For ever and ever be strong)." This marching song, set to. a lilting tune and sung by a perfectly harmonised choir of between 30 and 40 voices, was one of the outstanding features of the delightful performance given by members of a Maori battalion of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, in the grounds of the Dominions Soldiers' Club, Foleys House, on Saturday evening. His Worship the Mayor of Aidershot (Councillor A. 11. J. Stroud, M.8.E., J.P., C.C.) and a representative gathering of Aldershot toAvnspeople were present, and so thoroughly enjoyed the performance that the hope was expressed on all sides that it would be repeated.

Maori Custom* Opening with a spectacular demonstration of the ceremonial reception of guests in the tribal court with the challenge of the three sticks, which, r-ccording to the way they are laid, signify whether tlic visitors will be received in peace, or whether it is to be war, several of the items demonstrated ancient Maori customs. Led by their warrior chief, Corporal A. Amolinu, the composcr of the above Maori Battalion song, the husky band of braves, some of them in traditional costume, and all of them stripped to the waist, presented a fine picture of virile manhood. The War Dances. Perhaps the most typical items in their programme Avcre the fearsome Haka, the Maori war dance, in which, grimacing horribly, they work themselves up into the frenzy of battle, and the "eight posture" war dance, which is performed with spears. Despite the war-like character of those two items they never lose their wonderful sense of rhythm, and their action with the spears is somehow reminiscent of many of the chorus dance routines seen in modern musical comedies and revues Beautiful Singing. Interesting and entertaining though the dances were it was the wonderfully haimonised singing and beautiful bell-like quality of their voices which provided the real highlight of the performance. Maori love songs and action songs were ly impregnated with all the vocai grace and sunshine of the South Sea Islands from which the tribe originally sprang, while the English songs, "Hail,. Smiling Morn," sung as a glee, and "Come unto Me," had a tuneful beauty and charm which they seldom attain in this

country. Individual items were contributed by the Rev. K. T. Harawira, who sang in tile native tongue,. "Oft the spirit ot" my love doth come and visit me," and Lieutenant H. O. Stewart, whose rendering of the title song from "Rose Marie" was heartily applauded. The Story of Haka. The song from the Rev- K., T. Harawira was demanded according to an ancient Maori custom after he had told the story of Hie Haka. In days gone by, he said, the Maoris were very fond of wars, and used to fight one another if there was nobody else available. Nowadays their tribal wars had been replaced by sports, but they did not forget their ancient custom*, and in the last war, when they were figliti ; (Continued at foot previoxis column.