The Famous Waiata Maori Choir

Te Ao Hou, March 1962, Page 53

The Famous Waiata Maori Choir Kiwi record LA-b. 10 inch LP. 33 1/3 r.p.m. Kiwi are to be congratulated on producing a record of considerable historical interest, featuring as it does the first large Maori group to present New Zealand indigenous culture to overseas audiences. This choir was formed by the Rev. A. J. Seamer in the mid-twenties to feature in his Mission Festival tours, which at that time he was making throughout the country. From small beginnings the Choir increased in size until eventually every main tribe was represented. By 1930 it was attracting large audiences whenever it appeared in public. In 1933 the Choir made its first overseas tour to Australia where it spent four months playing all the large towns and cities. When it returned to New Zealand, the Choir received invitations to visit England, Ireland and the United States. In 1937 the Waiata Choir returned to Australia to receive an even more enthusiastic reception than before and from there they continued on to the United Kingdom. Here they played to capacity audiences in England, Wales and Ireland. The highlight of the tour was on the eve of their departure when they were summoned to Buckingham Palace by Royal command and sang before the King and Queen. In their day, this fine vocal group did much to popularise Maori music both in and outside New Zealand and their songs live again on this Kiwi record transcribed from three 78 r.p.m. discs made in England during their tour. The technical standard of the recording is surprisingly good. Some seldom-heard songs are featured as well as better known items including two Kingi Tahiwi classics “Aue E Te Iwi E” and “Pakia Kia Rite”. The Waiata Choir employs a style of Maori singing which began with the Rotorua Maori Choir and which waned in popularity until quite recently, when it seems to have come into fashion again. This style, which is strongly influenced by Pakeha choral singing, is disciplined and formal, and occasionally rather mechanical. Nevertheless this is not to decry some very good singing, with sensitive modulations of light and shade. This latter point is well illustrated in the short “Toku Wairua”. A full history of the Waiata Choir is included on the cover. It is a great pity that just a little space is not devoted to a few short notes about the items featured on the records. This is most essential if Maori items are to be fully appreciated and enjoyed by many who buy the records. The photograph on page 13 is from the Manawatu Evening Standard; those on pages 36 and 37 are from the Daily Post, Rotorua, and Clarke Mahoney Portraits, respectively.