Ma - wai - hakona In Australia

Te Ao Hou, March 1974, Page 42

Club patron Mr J. M. McEwen keeps an eye on his family during the flight to Sydney. Dinner over, some relax, while for others the excitement grows Ma - wai - hakona In Australia ‘Our apologies, ladies and gentlemen. There will be a few minutes delay, while some of our freight is off-loaded.’ There was a great burst of laughter at this, as many of the Ma-wai-hakona members thought this might be their fault—most of us certainly came back with more than we took over. In fact, there were several extra suitcases bought in Sydney, for the presents for those at home who had looked after families during the absence of parents and for Christmas gifts and souvenirs. The whole Australian trip was a wonderful experience, right from the moment we landed in Sydney, where the policemen at the airport were armed with revolvers … and we had our first ride on a double-decker bus—to Endeavour Hostel, South Coogee, where we stayed for two weeks. What a magnificent place it was. All the South Pacific Festival people—from the Cook Islands, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, some Aborigines and Banaban Islanders—staying there, along

with immigrants from 41 countries. There are 18 two-storey blocks each containing several two-room flats, a dining room seating 864, shop, Post Office, recreation facilities, child-minding centre, laundries, language classroom, and the most friendly, helpful international staff. This was one of the highlights of the trip—getting to know the people of other countries. On our arrival at Endeavour we received a full Maori welcome organised by Wi Pere Raukura of Rotorua and the Sydney Maori Club, and were treated to a delicious hangi down on the tennis court after settling in to our quarters. Rehearsals began on the grass next morning, and late that afternoon we left for our first rehearsal at the Opera House. It had looked magnificent from the air as we flew in, but at close quarters it was even more so—actually seven separate ‘halls’ under the sail-like roofs—and we rehearsed in the ‘recording hall’ where the stage dimensions of the main hall were marked on the floor. All the groups were to perform at the ‘South Pacific Festival’ three days after the opening, but Ma-wai-hakona and the Cook Islands Group had the additional honour of Hillary ‘Sana’ Selwyn With members of the Sydney Maori Club, welcome Ma-waihakona to Australia

As Endeavour Hostel residents crowd behind them, Ma-wai-hakona members sing in response to the welcome. performing on the Queen's dais when she arrange our lines for the small dais, we left for a tour of inspection after declaring slipped outside for a look at the actual the great building open. As we had to re-size—only to find squads of armed police- The hangi meal on the first night of the group's arrival was only the first of many acts of kindness shown by Sydney-dwelling Maoris. There were almost more invitations to barbecues and entertainments than the visitors could handle

A crowd gathered at one end of Sydney Airport Terminal Building as the group performed items while waiting for Mr Watt's arrival. He represented New Zealand at the Opera House opening ceremony Rev. Kingi Ihaka who travelled with Ma-wai-hakona as chairman of the Polynesian Festival Committee, greets the Rt. Hon. Hugh Watt, Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand after his welcome at Sydney Airport, while Aunty Dovey, leader of the group, waits to add her welcome

An unexpected arrival from her VIP lounge was the wife of the President of the Philippines, Madame Imelda Marcos, also in Sydney to represent her country. The group broke into a song for her and she was so delighted she undid her bouquet and presented the girls with pink roses. After another song the group crowded round for photographs, to the great consternation of the security men. Back to the Opera House for a brief rehearsal and lunch with the Cook Island team under the trees in the adjacent Botanic Gardens, where both groups provided impromptu entertainment for groups of school children

One of the most moving moments of the opening ceremony was when Ben Blakeney, a direct descendant of the Aboriginal Bennelong who was living at the site of the Opera House when Sydney was first settled, appeared silhouetted as a tiny figure at the apex of one of the high roof-sails, representing his ancestor and praying blessing on the Opera House and its patrons. In a high wind which kept away the threatened rain, Her Majesty the Queen, newly-styled ‘Queen of Australia’, officially opened the Opera House

As Her Majesty moves through the thousands of guests seated on the ceremonial steps to unveil a plaque inside the Opera House, Ma-wai-hakona members sing an action song on the dais men materialising out of the darkness! At these first rehearsals we were fascinated as each group went through its routine, and as the props appeared at the final rehearsal we learnt a great deal—the Aborigines' white ‘blobs’ were chopped up cockatoo breast-

Instead of nine hours of rehearsal, the groups went on a bus tour of Sydney. After this picture at Bondi Beach we visited the famous ‘Gap’, the Eastern Bays and crossed the harbour bridge for more sight-seeing. feathers formed into the right shape with honey or sugar and water! Nine hours of planned rehearsal on the day after the opening were cancelled, as the producers found the ‘joy and discipline’ within each group to be of an extremely high standard, The Aborigine group rehearses in the three-storey recording hall. In this dance eating too much wild honey too fast results in bad pain

The Cook Islands National Dance Theatre and Ma-wai-hakona at the dress rehearsal on the Opera House Concert Hall stage. As rehearsals progressed, Aunty Dovey's ‘Haere Mai’ proved to be the ‘hit song’ of the festival—when the other South Pacific groups heard their countries named in greeting, and they applauded in response

Lunch outside before the matinee performance. Rimupae, Hine, Ramona, Jenny and Wai at one of the tables on the pleasant plaza area surrounding the Opera House. The Aborigine dancers fully dressed for their mimed stories, before going on stage to take part in the South Pacific Festival. Opera House production staff considered the whole show the best yet staged in the opening season

Next morning there was time for relaxation, and for getting to know Stanley Roach and Ben Blakeney who autographed the boomerangs bought for family and friends and additional directions to the routines were hardly needed. Following the South Pacific Festival, the performers were divided into four groups each representing two countries, and we gave short concerts in various Sydney parks at lunch-time, followed by long hot bus trips to outlying ‘suburbs’ for an evening meal and a concert. Our companions were the Solomon Islanders, with two exceptions all third-year training college students, and sometimes we also had the Samoan knife-dancer and his drummer with us. At first we occupied separate decks on the bus, but after four days we were well mixed up, learning each other's songs and having fun together. Time for shopping, a visit to Taronga Park Zoo, a repeat of the Festival programme in the open at Hyde Park, another repeat in Sydney Town Hall for aged and disabled, and the Sydney visit drew to a close. The last few days were spent in Canberra, with the Solomon Islanders, Aborigines and Papua New Guineans. There we gave two evening performances, finishing with all groups on stage singing ‘Po Atarau’. There were truly Polynesian scenes of farewell as the group separated to return home—tears, songs, and the exchange of costumes and addresses. There were tears and songs too as we finally left Endeavour Hostel where we had made so many friends and had been treated so royally. It was not a holiday—the groups ‘earned their keep’ with the constant performances—but it was all worth it. Ma-wai-hakona thanks friends, supporters, employers, baby-sitters, those who helped with donations and time in all the months

There was plenty of room at the hostel to practise throwing the boomerangs, and Marie had an expert tutor in Stanley Roach. Toatoa Tuhi tries his hand while boys from Fiji and the Solomon Islands wait their turn

A lunch hour programme begins outside the Opera House with the Solomon Islands Bamboo Band, led by John Gina, while Maori and Solomon dancers wait their turn by their bus. Solomon Island boys dance while the girls sing

of preparation, and the New Zealand and assistants, many of whom took leave from Australian Governments, Endeavour Hostel their employment to act as guides and stage staff, Beth Deane and Victor Carell, and their staff. Two views of the Ma-wai-hakona group at the first lunch hour concert in Fitzroy Gardens, Kings Cross

Ma-wai-hakona members outside the Opera House

The group sets off to march in the Waratah Parade. It was such a drizzly chilly day, the New Zealanders were fortunate to have warm clothing—some groups were very thinly clad. Though taken from a moving vehicle while crossing the harbour bridge, this picture shows the three sets of ‘sails’ making up the Opera House Complex. The far set houses the Opera Theatre, and the closer set the Concert Hall. Other small theatres are beneath their stages. The smaller set of sails houses the Bennelong Restaurant. Other restaurants open into the plaza area

At Canberra at the end of the programme all four groups came on stage to sing ‘Po Atarau’ together. It was sad to realise that parting was drawing near—we had such a good time getting to know each other—and this marked the end of the wonderful experience, as the Solomon Islanders left at the end of the performance to return home via Sydney and Brisbane. There were many songs and tears as the bus left Kurrajong Hotel

During the brief visit to Canberra, Ma-wai-hakona members were entertained to a meal by our High Commissioner Mr Chapman and Mrs Chapman. Mrs Betty Walker-Pocock, who once sang with Ngati Poneke as Te Kahureremoa Asher, and who now lives in Canberra, found it most moving to meet again people she knew in her youth. As she sang ‘Pokarekare Ana’ club members fell silent, listening to her beautiful voice. Time for a picture with Mr and Mrs Chapman on the lawn outside their home before leaving for a performance in Canberra Theatre