The Volcanics

Tu Tangata, Issue 11, 1 April 1983, Page 29

The Volcanics

There’s a lot of truth in the saying that Sydney is New Zealand’s second largest city. It’s certainly easy to bump into fellow Kiwis almost everywhere you go, but even so, Sydney is a big city and most ex-patriate New Zealanders probably suffer the occassional bout of home sickness. This can be cured in a number of different ways. The most effective is an air ticket home. Less expensive and equally satisfying is a trip to the ‘Hula Hut’. Theatre Restaurant in Sydneys outer Western Suburb of Pendel Hill The attraction at the ‘Hula Hut’ is the stage show, presented around a Polynesian banquet, of the fabulous ‘Volcanics’. Formed in Auckland in 1965 the ‘Volcanics’ are one of N.Z.’s best known and well travelled groups. Over the intervening years they have toured the world constantly and have been heard and appreciated in over fifty countries. It’s our

loss that the group has finally decided to set up a permanent base in Australia. Even if you’ve never heard of the ‘Volcanics’, as such, then you only have to know the names of some of the many talented performers to have passed through their ranks to acknowledge the tremendous impact they’ve had on the Maori entertainment industry. Prince Tui Teka, Billy T. James, Nuki and Gugi Waaka, Hector Epse, Dean Ruscoe along with current star Bill Peters and wife, sole remaining original ‘Volcanic’ and current group leader, Mahora Waaka, together make up something of a ‘Who’s Who of Maori singing talent. Australia became home to the ‘Volcanics’ in 1979 when they took up residence in ‘The Beachcomber’ Theatre Restaurant. Late last year they moved to their current venue owned by Bill and Mahora. Their floorshow consists of songs and dances from many Polynesian countries with a healthy smattering of indigenous New Zealand culminating in the ‘Maori Farewell’.