MAORI MISSION PARTY

Southland Times, Issue 20792, 5 June 1929, Page 5

MAORI MISSION PARTY

A SPLENDID ENTERTAINMENT.

WAIATAS, POI DANCES, HAKAS.

The large crowd which more than filled St. John’s Hall last evening was treated to a most interesting and instructive entertainment by the representatives of the Maori race who are travelling through New Zealand with the object of gaining support for the educational and religious work being carried on by the Methodist Church among the Maoris. The party, which was headed by the elderly chief Te Aho o Te Rangi Pihaina, of the Waikato tribe, included Hone Wereta (Katana Pa), Waka Taituna (Taranaki), Wi Nikora (Otaki) and the young Maori girls, Mori Erih'ana (Otago), Riria Warahi (Canterbury), Hine Whareua (Otakou Pa) and Hinerangi (King Country). Descendants or kinsmen of some of the highest chieftains, the members of the party have been brought up with a knowledge of many of the traditions and .customs of their race, and their waiatas, poi dances and Maori songs were presented as far as possible in their original form. Only those who were present can realize the peculiar poignancy of the Maori musical scale and the soft timbre of the girls voices. The audience was electrified from the outset when, with a wild shout, the Maorisadvanced from the rear of the hall to take part in a typical Maori welcome on the stage. The first items were weirdly beautiful psalms’ chanted in Maori, and early Maori Christian hymns. Little Hinerangi Hikuroa charmed the audience with her Maori slumber song and again in her song with Wi Nikora, a lyric tenor, “Home, Little Maori, Home.” Perfect rhythm characterized the single and double poi dances performed by the girls of the party, led by Misses Mori Erihana and Hinerangi respectively, and accompanied on guitars by Hone and Waka. In a wonderfullv clear soprano, Miss Mori Erihana whose high born ancestors were baptized by Christian missionaries in Otago before the first immigration ship arrived there,»sang an old Maori love song. As a contrast, to that, Waka laituka kept the audience vastly amused with a selection of modern popular songs, accompanying himself on the guitar. _ • r Telling of his ancestors’ exploits, Chief Pihama sang an epic waiata and followed it with an old Maori folk song. During the evening, he also gave a similar address to the one he gave on Sunday night. Hinewhareua’s songs were ven' popular and a recall was given before the audience was satisfied.

The next item was a very interesting exhibition of “Stone Age” games. To the beating rhythm of the guitars, the painted sticks were passed round in a circle with dexterity. After fearsome hakas had been performed. a long-string poi and the most beautiful of all the poi-dances—the canoo-poi—were given. Full instrument and voice choruses and a delightful solo by Miss Riria Warahi concluded the programme. _ Entertainments will be given at Otatara to-night and Woodlands orf Thursday night.