Maori Theatre Review 1980/81

Tu Tangata, Issue 5, 1 April 1982, Page 30

Maori Theatre Review 1980/81

Paid Cherrington

1980/1981 has seen a resurgence of Maori theatre if one takes account of “Maranga Mai” and “Te Whanau” two young theatre groups which sprang from social conditions in our country together with two stage plays and a film, each of which deals with Maori points of view.

“Maranga Mai” has its roots in “The Engineers Mistake” or the Auckland University “Haka party incident” and the Bastion Point “Occupation”. For reasons unknown “Maranga Mai” was not chosen to represent New Zealand at the 1980 South Pacific Arts Festival hosted by Papua New Guinea even though the organisers there welcomed their presence and had gone so far as to timetable them in at certain venues. “Maranga Mai” had toured various marae in rural areas and also gave performances at Parliament and some secondary schools. Reactions to their show varied. The Minister of Education, Mr M. Wellington wanted them banned, Mr Norm Jones, M.P. wished their show to be televised, and Mr Winston Peters, then M.P. for Hunua objected to their historical view of events. “Maranga Mai” was not saying anything new. The views they put forward have been well known in Maoridom ever since the coming of the Pakeha. What is new is that young people are getting up and voicing them in theatrical terms. Te Whanau different “Te Whanau” is slightly different in that its roots seem to come more from professional theatre. Half of its players have been for some time in the mainstream of New Zealand theatre which is largely Pakeha-oriented, and had tired of continually portraying English, Irish, American, or whatever characters but rarely ever any Maori characters. “Te Whanau” performed at Waiatarau, Freemans Bay, Maungarei, Mt Wellington, Rotorua, Hamilton, and Waahi Pa, Huntly, before travelling as part of the New Zealand contingent to the 1980 South Pacific Arts Festival in Papua New Guinea. A music and drama critic Terry Snow had the following to say about the two groups: Maori banned “It’s a long way from the days when speaking Maori was banned in schools, to the present young vocal Maori theatre gorups using satire, song and predominantly Maori language for forceful emotional expression.”

“To the loud approval of the crowd, Parihaka, the Wairau massacre, Raglan golf course and Bastion Point became living dramatic symbols in a theatrical expression hitherto denied this audience, remote as it has been from the traditional theatre’s largely Europeanoriented set of values.” Music essential “Music is an essential part of the emotional tenor of the show, as it seems to be of all the groups in this burgeoning Maori theatre movement.” “Maori theatre already has a natural audience and seems to be shaping a natural and original form for itself, one which will rightly require of its audience a working knowledge of Maori and Maoritanga.” “Many Pakeha New Zealanders may not like what this style of theatre is saying, but they cannot ignore its emotional and dramatic validity for a lot of people, nor pretend it will go away.” Terry Snow’s comments are a vindication of what the groups are trying to do, that is, to give dramatic expression to Maori views in a uniquely Maori way. Alaskans perform Te Whanau continues to perform sections of the piece taken to Papua New Guinea. In late 1980 at an evenings entertainment put on by the Auckland branch of the Maori Writers and Artists for the touring Alaskan group Tuma Theatre from Alaska University, Te Whanau helped entertain with sketches, songs, readings, a section from “Hanga Hou”, and a haka. The Alaskans presented a show that gave dramatic expression to their indigenous history and legends. Before returning to Alaska they performed in Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington and Christchurch. Fundraising concert Te Whanau also performed at a fundraising concert for Turakina Girls College held at the Logan Campbell Centre in Auckland on 5 December, 1981, together with Sammy Dee as compere, Deane Waretini and his regular backing group Contact, the Lightwood family recently returned from a successful tour

of the USA, Bonnie and Noel Clarke, and talented newcomers Georgiona Te Whata and Angelina Karini. Others to take part were: Te Manawa Cultural Group from Rotorua, the Auckland Yugoslav Society of Kolo Dancers, the Maungarongo family from Ohakune, a family of Maori ancestry who specialise in dances of Tahiti, Hawaii, Tokelau, and Rarotonga, and the father and son from Chile.

Mauri hikitia

The concert had been organised by George Tait who had taken the ancient philosophy of “mauri hikitia” and used it as a medium to uplift New Zealand’s distinct cultures within his concept of entertainment. George Tait died at Auckland Hospital, two weeks before the concert. However, George Tait was there that night, his presence was everywhere. He was present in the opening and closing of the show which was the Rangi and Papa section performed by Te Whanau and written by him. He often said of the section, “Look I didn’t write it. My ancestors did. I just put it on paper.” He was present in Deane Waretini’s songs which he had also written. Each performer and each group had at some time been given support and encouragement by George Tait.

Unforgettable

Unforgettable is the only way to describe the gentleman from Chile who walked into a spotlight centered on an empty chair and explained in halting English how he had come to New Zealand 15 years ago. One of the first people he met was this man who recognised he was different. This man wanted to know what sort of songs Chileans sang, he wanted to know what sort of dances Chileans danced. This man then encouraged him to perform them so they would not be lost and forgotten. “That man was George Tait, my friend. This chair is for George and I play this for him.” He and his son then played a slow but hauntingly beautiful Chilean lament with a small flute and drum.

The originals

The original “Te Whanau” Players began in 1980 with: Don SELWYN as director, George TAIT as kaumatua and writer, Dawn UNDERWOOD as technical director along with: Faenza REUBEN from Ngati Porou who played Rangi, Merata MITA from Arawa who played Papa, Paki CHERRINGTON from Ngapuhi who played Tane Mahuta, Robert POUWHARE from Tuhoe who played Ruaumoko, Hone EDWARDS from Waikato who played Rehua,

Gary TAYLOR from Ngati Porou who played Tumatauenga, Peter ROWELL from Ngati Ponsonby who played Tawhirimatea, Tomo NAHI from Ngapuhi who sang the link song “Nga Mana Atua”. In 1982 we no longer have our kaumatua nor our original director and three other players. Dawn Underwood is now manager/director and the three new players are: Piki UENUKU from Arawa who now plays Papa, Herbert WHARERAU from Arawa who now plays Rehua, and James CHERRINGTON from Ngapuhi who now plays Tawhirimatea because Peter ROWELL moves to play Ruaumoko.

An historical view

“Songs for the Judges”, “Hand on the Rail”, and “The Protestors” are the two stage plays and film mentioned earlier as dealing with Maori points of view.

“Songs for the Judges” written and directed by Mervyn Thompson, presented in song and dance form an historical view of the courts/laws in New Zealand with reference to how they were viewed by and affected the Maori. Having Pakeha actors playing Maori roles but not vice-versa created controversy but did not have any detrimental effect on the overall excellence of the production.

The two Maori actors, Hemi Ropata and Richard Eriwata, both gave performances which drew on their knowledge and experience of Maori and Maoritanga. Actors without that knowledge and experience could not have given such performances.

The other members of the cast, Arthur Ranford, Margaret Blay, Margaret Maxwell, and Mervyn Thompson all gave performances which showed their obvious professionalism and experience.

Multi-cultural

Whilst being sympathetic to the Maori point of view and an exciting plus to the theatre world, the production ended rather belatedly with a kind of “Let’s all be multi-cultural friends” message which may be perfectly valid but which left one wondering whether this was because the play was purely “a sympathetic Pakeha point of view” of the situation. It was difficult to see, as with “Maranga Mai”, why this production was not chosen to be part of the contingent to the 1980 South Pacific Arts Festival.

“Hand on the Rail” written by Bruce Mason in 1965 as a radio play especially for Don Selwyn, was directed for New Independent Theatre by Ray Waru who produces T.V.’s “Koha”. Incidentally, Ray Waru was also producer for Te Whanau’s Papua New Guinea trip.

“Hand on the Rail”, adapted for the stage by Bruce Mason, deals with the ur-

ban versus rural problem, mixed marriages, as well as the problem of the younger Maori who finds Maori and Maoritanga as irrelevent as New Zealand’s education system which teaches details about Thomas a Becket.

Don Selwyn played Hingawaru Karani, a King Country farmer who comes to the city to find his son Rangi played by Kapa Kitche. Kapa is know for his role in the T.V. series involving George Henare and the car “The White Lady”. Rangi, the son, has caused the death of a fellow drinker in a tavern fight and is on the run.

Best play

Sebastian Black, a “Listener” drama critic, said “ it is the best new play seen in the city this year.” Of Don Selwyn’s performance he said, “This remarkable performance embodies a tradition of feeling and response which is hard to describe because it is so determinedly non-European, and which the play suggests we reject at our peril.” Other Maori performers playing cameo roles were Caroline Ormsby, Robin Kora, Stephen Stehlin, Nola Pawa, Loretta Wilson, and Paki Cherrington. A Samoan actress Patupatu Ripley played Hingawaru’s daughter Meri.

Gutsy realism

The third exciting theatrical event was the T.V. film “The Protestors” written by Rowley Habib of Tuwharetoa. The film is a version of Bastion Point. Its gutsy realism shows all the complexities of the attitudes and feelings in Maoridom today and does not romanticise. The film was completed in November/ December 1981 and will be screened later this year. Many well known performers are involved along with a lot of exciting new acting talent. Those taking

part include Jim Moriarty of “Close to Home”, Don Selwyn of “Mortimer’s Patch”, the well known entertainers Billy T. James, Reg Ruka, and Hemi Ropata. Others in the cast were the Rev. Hone Kaa of High Chaparral, Gary Taylor, Peter Rowell, Merata Mita, Dale Williams, Huru Rakete, Katherine Pipi, Esther Davis, Paki Cherrington, James Cherrington, and Aroha Harris.

The exciting new talent to straight acting included singer Robin Ruakere, dancer Robin Nicholls, Waikato kaumatua Whare Kerr, Mary Marsh who plays Aunty Wai, and trade unionist Zac Wallace. Zac’s vigorous and talented performance leaves one wondering why he has not been seen on screen or stage earlier.

Pakeha roles

There are few Pakeha roles and these are played by Therese Ireland, Nikki Farrell who is known for her role in “Stock and Station” and John Givins who among other roles on screen is remembered for his part in “Children of Fire Mountain”. The fact that one Pakeha is beaten up and another raped moved one well-known wit to remark that perhaps the film should be renamed “Habib’s Revenge”. The film was produced by Tony Isaac and directed by Peter Muxlow.

All these productions show that there is ample Maori talent and expertise around to put forward theatrically the Maori point of view, something which has been lacking in the past. Whilst there may have been productions which tried to deal with the Maori point of view, they have been essentially a ‘sympathetic’ Pakeha point of view. An authentic Maori point of view is now emerging and can only augur well for the future.