Maoris’ Act Stops The Traffic

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30858, 17 September 1965, Page 1

Maoris’ Act Stops The Traffic

(A’.Z. Press Assn. —Copyright) LONDON, Sept. 16. A group of Maori singers and dancers stopped the traffic in London’s busy Trafalgar square yesterday as it performed on the steps of Nelson’s Column. The members of the Wellington Maori Club, shown above in the cabled picture, were making their only appearance in Britain as part of

the Commonwealth Arts Festival. So great was the crowd of people packing the square to i hear the lunch-time recital that they spilled out on to ! the streets blocking cars, taxis i and buses. 1 The Trinidad calypso band i which was to perform after!l the Maori group was among! the people held up by the | < traffic jam and the Maoris had ! < to keep on singing and j dancing until the band < arrived. The Maoris performed 11 s numbers including love songs, < poi dances, hakas and the < stick game. It

They ended with the Maori farewell which many in the crowd joined in as “Now is the Hour.” An exhibition of “flaming limbo” by dancers from Trinidad and Tobago, with dancers leaning backwards to slide under a kerosene-lit horizontal bar, was then given. A great burst of applause! greeted one man who lit al cigarette in his mouth as he! passed under the bar only; one foot from the ground. There was another free show last night, a vast display of fireworks in Hyde Park, as a preliminary to the 20nation festival of ballet,

drama, folk-dancing, opera, painting, sculpture and music. Sir Malcolm Sargent, who will conduct some of the festival concerts, said he hoped such festivals would be held in other parts of the Commonwealth. The arts were a better link than sport, which because of its spirit of competition, produced bad tempers and ill--feeling. he said. Sir Malcolm Sargent will rehearse the Christchurch Harmonic Society's choir with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra today in preparation for tonight's festival opening concert.