WAIKIKI HAWAIIANS.

Wairarapa Age, 5 August 1922, Page 5

WAIKIKI HAWAIIANS.

GREETED BY PACKED HOUSE. A brief transportation to the islands of waving palms, sunny beaches, and happy, singing people was enjoyed by the large Masterton audience that visited the Opera House last night to witness the performance of the Waikiki Hawaiians. The customs, costumes, and dances of the care-free island people were depicted by the company, but the greatest charm lay in the plaintive native melodics played on the ukeleles and the steel guitar. In scenes entitled “Hawaiian Nights” the making of poi and the brewing of kava were illustrated, while Miss Lilliokalani performed the “luau hula” dance to the accompaniment of the stringed instruments. “Aloha Oe” always makes an appeal when sung, but rendered by the islanders themselves it produced the greatest enthusiasm among the audience. The second portion of the programme was devoted mostly to ragtime—instrumental, choral and solos. ‘ I E Pari Ra,” a Maori song, learnt while the company was in Rotorua, was rendjered by the ladies dressed in Maori mats, their native dances being queerly intermingled with the Maori melody. Throughout the entertainment the items were punctuated with insistent Applause.