Maoritanga in the Mire?

Te Ao Hou, September 1962, Page 23

Alan Armstrong, the writer of this article and an expert on action songs and hakas, is Adjutant of the Second Battalion of the New Zealand Regiment. He has recently returned from Malaya, where he was also director of the Battalion's very successful Maori Concert Party. Maoritanga in the Mire? by Alan Armstrong Three years ago in Te Ao Hou a critic writing an appreciation of the show ‘Maori’ (which later toured Australia) said: ‘Too often in the past, Pakehas have had their views on Maori music and culture coloured by ragged improvised performances which reflect poorly on the race as a whole and on the things which they are trying to portray. ‘Maori’ should set a standard to be aimed at by all future concert parties … Having been absent from New Zealand for over two years, I was anxious on return to attend as many Maori concerts and entertainments as I could—partly to see what was about in the way of new songs and haka, partly to enjoy again some ‘typically New Zealand’ entertainment and to try and record it from the viewpoint of an overseas visitor, and finally in the hope that perhaps ‘Maori’ had set some sort of a standard for others to follow. It was a bitter and chastening experience. From Auckland to Christchurch I saw Maori concert after Maori concert for which the description second-rate would have been praise indeed. After it all, one could only be left with the feeling that the true song and story of the Maori is in grave danger of being relegated to the category of second-class entertainment, of becoming a fill-in for jazzy rock 'n roll type programmes, unless a great number of Maoris leave alone what they do not intend to take seriously or perform properly. There were of course some polished and capable performances but these were few. One of the worst was in no less a place than the Auckland Town Hall before a very large audience indeed. Most of the concerts gave the impression of being slapped together and poorly rehearsed and then presented in a way which was an insult to the audience. All too often comperes prefaced their announcements with remarks such as ‘we haven't been rehearsing for very long’, or ‘a lot of the chaps don't know this next item but we hope you'll enjoy it so give them a big hand to help them along’. I will try and catalogue some of the faults. If you have attended a Maori concert lately which has been devoid of all these, you are indeed fortunate.