REPORT OF THE OPARURE BRANCH

Te Ao Hou, December 1959, Page 62

REPORT OF THE OPARURE BRANCH Membership: Patron: Hona Hona; President: Ngaturu Paparahi; Secretary: Rora Paki; Treasurer: Rongo Baker; Members: Caroline Tapara, Te Ra Whare-pua, Hine Cooper, Tahuri Hona. Average Attendance: At the seven meetings throughout the year the average attendance was four (4) and we had held “mock meetings” with a large attendance, to teach our young folk, how to conduct meetings. Since winning the trophy, the Maniapoto Council have won further honours by carrying off at Hamilton the Waikato Winter Show Association's Shield for the best entry in the Maori Welfare League Courts. The shield was handed over to Mrs Waki Kino, as the Council's representative by Mr C. Fraser, Vice-President of the Waikato Show Association who came to Te Kuiti specially for the presentation (Photo: Nelson Irving.) Education: We are very interested in the education of our children and attend meetings of the Parent Teacher groups, both in our local Primary School and in our High School. Some of our members are active on various Sub-Committees of our Primary School Jubilee Committee, and our Branch Secretary has been chosen as Secretary of the Historical Committee and will be responsible for the compilation of the brochure to be printed. But during the latter part of this year our education policy has been one of self education, that is to say, educating ourselves, and our community, to a greater awareness of those personal qualities which must be cultivated, to bring us abreast of the times in which we live, an awareness that will give a new vision of that individual part that must be played by each, if the whole is to tick over, an awareness of the need of others socially and morally, that will help us to unobstrusively raise our standard. Religion: Some of the members are active members of their respective churches taking part in the business affairs of the church and one is the organist of her church. All meetings are opened with prayer and practice evenings for the youth are opened by the singing of various Maori hymns, so that the young people can become acquainted with them. Advertising and Reporting: We have learnt by our own initiative, to insert eye-catching advertisements in the newspapers, and to make up good sized posters, to advertise our own concerts and such, and then to do our own write up after. Home and Garden Competitions: Every member of our Branch will compete this year for the handsome A. W. Low Trophy, for the best kept home and gardens, which was donated by the Mayor some years ago. Talent Quests and Barbecue: During the winter months, the Branch ran a series of four Talent Quests preceded by a haangi

tea, the proceeds to go towards the Pa building fund. The Talent Quest was divided into Juvenile, Junior and Senior groups and it was found that the two younger groups were almost entirely of the Rock-n-Roll variety, and that any straight forward items had very little chance on a popularity vote, and so it was spontaneously decided that something drastic had to be done to counteract this tendency, and to unobstrusively raise the standard. But what? Two weeks approximately to the next turnout, and what could be done to capture the young peoples imagination and take them away from this devastating rock-n-roll stuff? Well what is it that makes it tick? Somewhere some child psychologist had said that “where affectionate guidance was lacking, the youth seek forgetfulness of themselves and their problems in crowds, in noise and in frenzied activity”. Then the younger ones must just imitate them. All right—they need something that allows self expression and plenty of activity. From these thoughts a Nigger Minstrel group had its origin and a Hawaiian group for the girls and at the next function these groups took the rest of the children by storm and what with Maori action songs, poi and haka, there was very little time left for rock-n-roll. The older boys and young men formed themselves into a skiffle group, and we were well and truly “on our toes”. Costumes: Each group had to be costumed and this was done by the Branch with some outside assistance. Nigger Minstrel long tailed suits, white shirts and black bow ties were designed and made, firstly from crepe paper, and later from material, with topper hats made from black cardboard. Hula skirts and leis from finely cut crepe paper, and later from whauwhi (thousand jacket) tree. Bodices etc. for Maori items, while the skiffle group, not to be outdone, went into formal costume with bow ties and sashes. Concerts: It was decided that the Branch organise and run a concert as a trial, and it proved a great success, with a 3 hour programme. Then followed a “Concert Tour”, emphasising the various countries represented by the items—N.Z. (Maoris), Rarotonga, Hawaii, U.S.A. (Nigger Minstrel) and Carnegie Hall, European items, using the “Seven Canoes” as transport, and landing the tourists back to “the land of the long white cloud” and the twi-light poi, with lights out. All lighting was ingeniously handled by the men and skiffle boys, and was the makings of the functions, and very important, as were the decorations of the stage part, with ferns and palms and leaves. Detail: Attention to every detail, though often tedious and exacting proved many things. First, to plan early and plan with a purpose in view, pays dividends. Whether it be planning an advertisement