TE AO HOU THE NEW WORLD

Te Ao Hou, November 1957, Page 1

TE AO HOU THE NEW WORLD PUBLISHED QUARTERLY FOR THE MAORI PURPOSES FUND BOARD BY THE MAORI AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT by the maori affairs department No. 20 (Vol. 5 No. 4) There has always been general agreement that the Polynesians are an ‘artistic’ race and the Maoris are no exception. But what do we mean by this? Partly, we are thinking of the Maori record in woodcarving and the scroll designs which are of unusual beauty. But we also think of the experience everyone of us has had: almost every Maori is a natural singer, a natural dancer and very many have a great facility at drawing. One notices this from day to day among the people one meets. One also notices how many Maoris are natural orators. To what extent do Maoris succeed as professional artists? There have been some notable successes. In singing, several have done well, and Inia Te Wiata has become a world figure. In painting, Oriwa Haddon is one of several who have built up some reputation. Among the younger generation, quite a number are art specialists with the Education Department. In fact, North of Auckland Maori art specialists must by now outnumber the European ones. The training for this job includes a year of special advanced study in Art given only to people with some artistic promise. Several of the Maori art specialists have done well at their own painting as well as teaching in schools. A few have also done the Diploma course at the Elam School of Fine Arts. One of these graduates, Mr Selwyn Wilson, has recently gone to England to further his artistic studies. Serious work based on traditional Maori forms still continues meanwhile. In the composing of popular music, the Maori people also have a reasonable record. A full list of records by New Zealand composers was published recently and it appears from this list that of the five composers with most recordings to their credit, three are Maori. They are: Ruru Karaitiana (whose great success was Blue Smoke). Erina Kaihau and Hemi Piripata. In band music, Amohau's Maori Battalion has a high place. Described in this issue is the first occasion when three Maori actors have taken chief roles in a play in New Zealand's most prominent theatre company, the New Zealand Players. The performance of these actors was widely praised. Having said all this, we must still ask ourselves whether Maori artistic talent has so far found full expression in the new world. One cannot help observing that far too many people do not develop the very real talent they have, and that for any true achievement in the arts, one requirement is vigorous training. This applies to the traditonal arts of the Maori, it also applies to the modern ones. Professional status is for the few, but these few only come forward when people in general are keen to develop their talents. The opportunities are better today than ever before. Training is easily accessible and for those who have given proof of talent and earnest study, financial help in various forms is available. Nonetheless, to succeed in the arts, a great toughness is needed and an overwhelming desire to succeed.