Many Forms of Music

Te Ao Hou, October 1956, Page 34

Many Forms of Music Various speakers stood up that evening to describe the club's educational activities. They were so many that it seemed incredible for a group of men and women on a public works project to attempt such a programme. Of the European fields of knowledge, the club concentrates on community singing, band music and dressmaking. People are taught to read music according to the solfa scale. On the Maori side, there are now not only action songs and hakas, but also pao and patere; they play stick games; they have learnt the proper way of making piupiu and taniko. Where do they get their lecturing staff from? They hardly go outside their own circle but everyone tells the others what he knows. They are always looking round for people with talents; for instance, Mardi Taipeti had learned taniko at Turakina Girls College; so she was asked to be teacher. Taniko became part of the club programme. Mr Wari Ward, the chairman, learned music when he worked at the office at Ratana Pa (a fellow worker was learning music, and he followed his example) and led a choir and a string band at Ratana. He now teaches part singing at Mangakino. Mac Moses, who like Bill Waiwai is a foreman rigger, was taught the saxophone and clarinet from some Englishmen at the Tuai hydro settlement when he was very young; he has been working in music ever since, leading dance bands at Waikaremoana where his home is and elsewhere. Two of the Aotearoa Quartet now touring England were first trained by Mr Moses. At Mangakino he continues doing what he has always done: encouraging some of the boys to play instruments, and going to dances to play. Mr Waiwai's specialty on the other hand are the Maori arts and crafts. Yet the club invited experts where needed. (Continued on page 52)