Council for Traditional Maori and Polynesian Arts to be established

Mana (Auckland), 16 June 1977, Page 1

Council for Traditional Maori and Polynesian Arts to be established

The Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council of New Zealand has requested the Government to provide the funds to establish a Council for Traditional Maori and Polynesian Arts.

Over the last five years the Arts Council has supported various traditional Maori and Polynesian activities. These have included marae decoration projects, the Archive of Maori and Pacific Music at the Universtiry of Auckland, festivals of Maori and Polynesian arts, carving projects and Maori language week. Although the Arts Council also supports Maori and Polynesian artists, who work in contemporary or European idioms, the Council believes that it is important to provide a separate programme of assistance specifically for the traditional arts. Mr Hamish Keith, Chairman of the Arts Council, said “This is an essential step forward in the development of a multicultural society.

“If New Zealand, with its Maori and Pacific Island population, has a major role to play in Polynesian life, then it must accept responsibility to nurture the culture of the peoples with whom it is concerned,” he said. It is proposed that financial support will be given to encourage the preservation and practice of artisitic activities which were traditionally carried out on the marae or in the village. Mr Witi Ihimaera, a member of the Arts Council, said “The Arts Council is to be congratulated for its funding of traditional Maori arts activities in the past. But we must develop long term policies in this field in New Zealand. The Arts Council should represent all the cultures in New Zealand and not only the culture of the pakeha. “It is also important to promote awareness of thd assistance available from the Arts Council and to provide the “know-how” to enable

Maori or Polynesian individuals, groups and organisations to take full advantage of the schemes which are now operating and those which will be developed”, Mr Ihimaera said. “To this extent the Council for Traditional Maori and Polynesian Arts should be an activist group.” The Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr Alan Highet, has indicated that the Government will make $50,000 available for the new Council.

matagahua ia ko e fakamanaia he tau marae he tau Maori, fakatu he taha poko fale he Aoga Pulotu ha Okalana ke toka ai e tau leo kofe mo e tau leo lologo he tau Maori mo e atu Pasifika, fakakitekiteaga he tau tufuga he tau Maori mo e atu Polinesia, tau tufuga takiti, mo e kotofaaga he taha faahi tapu ke lata mo e vagahau Maori. Pete ni kua lagomatai foki he Kau Leveki Tufuga Motu ki a lautolu e tau tufugA pulotu he tau Maori mo e tau Polenisia ha ne fa a gahua fakalataha ke he falu a vahega poke mamafa atu ke he tau vagahau fakaEuropa, kua manatu e Kau Tufuga Motu pehe, kua aoga lahi ke fakatu pauaki taha puhala lagomatai ke lata mo e tau vahega tufuga tuai.

Ne kua pehe foki e takitaki he matakau nei ko Mr Hamish Keith, “Kua aoga lahi e lakaaga nei ke taute ha ko e puhala ha ia ke lakalaulahi atu ki mua e mahani kau fakalataha he motu loga mahani.

Kaeke kua ha ha he motu nei ko Niu Silani, ha ne nonofo ai e tau Maori mo e tau tagata mai he tau motu he atu Pasifika, e manatu ke lagomatai fakalahi atu ke he tau momoui he tau tagata Polenisia, ti kua aoga lahi ni ke fai lagomatai atu ke lagaki hake ki luga e tau mahani kehekehe ha lautolu e tau tagata kua leveki a ia ki ai”, he talahau e Mr Hamish Keith. Kua manatu pehe to moua taha tupe ke fakatumau po ke fakamaloio aki e levekiaga mo e tauteaga he tau tufuga kehekehe ne fa mahani ke taute he tau marae poke tau maaga nonofo nehumua. Ko Witi Ihimaere, ko is taha he matakau he Kau Leveki Tufuga Motu, ne vagahau a ia pehe, “Kua lata ke nava mo e fakatulou atu ke he Kau Leveki Tufuga Motu ha koe lagomatai tupe ne foaki age ke lata mo e tau matagahua ne taute ai he tau mogo kua mole ke lata mo e tau tufuga Maori. Ka kua aoga lahi ni he talahau e ia ke onoono atu fakalahi ki mua ke he tau fakaveaga ke mo e tau vahega mena pehe nei i Niu Silani. Kua lata he Kau Leveki Tufuga Motu ke leveki mo e lagomatai atu ke he tau tufuga oti he tau heagaapi kehekehe ha Niu Silani ka e nakai ni ko e tau tufuga poke tau mahani he tau palagi ni hokoia. Ne pehe foki a Misi Ihimaere, “Kua aoga lahi ke lagomatai fakalahi atu ke fakamaama atu ke he tau Maori poke tau Polenisia takitokotaha poke tau matakau poke tau vahega

fakapotopotoaga kehekehe, e tau lagomatai kua maeke ke moua maf e lautolu mai he Kau Leveki Tufuga Motu mogonei mo e falu a puhala foki ke lagomatai aki a lautolu kua manako ke fakatu-hake e tau vahega mena pihia ke taofi mau aki e tau tufuga ha lautolu.” Pehe foki a ia, “Kua lata he Kau Leveki Tufuga Tuai he tau Maori mo e tau Polenisia ke fakamaloio a lautolu ke kau fakalataha ke lagaki hake e tau manatu nei.” Ko e Ikipule he Tau Gahua Fakamotu ko Mr Alan Highet, kua talahau mai a ia pehe, to foaki atu he Fakatufono e $50,000 ke he Kau Leveki Tufuga Motu foou.