The New Zealand Maori Artists & Writers Society

Tu Tangata, Issue 13, 1 August 1983, Page 10

The New Zealand Maori Artists & Writers Society

Annual Conference

Writer Paki Cherrington Photos. Dawn Kendall.

This year’s conference was held on the Tukaki Marae, Te Kaha, on the 4th 6th June, 1983. Two hundred people were expected but a crowd of 350 arrived from all parts of the country. Two marae besides Tukaki were needed to accommodate the overflow. They were the Whitianga and the Maungaroa maraes.

The 1983 conference celebrated the first ten years of the Society’s involvement in the Maori arts, performing, visual and language arts, both traditional and contemporary. During the past ten years different maraes have hosted each annual Queen’s Birthday weekend hui.

The hui this year differed in that the whole conference centred around one theme “TEKAU TAU KI TE WHAKATOTANGA I TE RITO O TE HARAKEKE” (Ten years to the planting of the flax).

All members attending within different art disciplines were asked to try to respond with contributions related to flax stories, whakatauki, waiata, paintings, photographs, films, slides and the like. Members were also asked to bring examples of their present works for display and/or for performance at the concert on the last evening of the hui. This concert was seen by many as being a focal point of the hui. Speakers on the kaupapa of the hui were Te Awe Davis, Emily Schuster, Tungia Baker, Vivian Gregory, Toi Maihi, Dr Rawiri Tipene-Leach, and Alemein Emery. The discussions were chaired by Cliff Whiting and ranged from the medicinal value of the juices of the flax to the retail and marketing of the flax.

Distinguished visitors to the hui included Dame Te Atairangikaahu, who enjoyed all the activities of the hui. It was also pleasing to have had present the Reverend Kingi Ihaka, chairperson of the Maori and South Pacific Arts Council. Reverend Ihaka met our executive and discussed the new regional development policies of the society and also the appointment of our salaried executive officer.

Executive

There was such confidence in the executive, which constitutionally has to be re-elected each year, that the conference wished to re-elect the present executive without calling for nomina-

tions. One member of last years executive, Keri Kaa, resigned in order to concentrate her efforts on the regional development of the Wellington area. The 1983/84 executive committee is as follows: President: Para MATCHITT Secretary: Georgina KIRBY Treasurer: Ross HEMERA Members: Sonny KEEPA Tungia BAKER (new member) Ivan EHAU (new member) George WARETINI (new member) Maaka JONES Toi MAIHI

The new executive members are charged with the task of continuing the development of the Society within their respective areas. It is also their task to support and encourage Maori art in every field be it traditional or contemporary.

As a means of making the strengths of the Society known in areas where there is no executive member, Regional representatives were elected as liaison people for the Society. The Regional representatives for each rohe are as follows:

MURIWHENUA Am BOSCH 2. Waireti ROLLESTON TAMAKI MAKAURAU 3. Rongo WETERE TE AWAMUTU 4. Rosemary KOHU TAURANGA MOANA 5. Ross HEMERA WAIARIKI 6. Frank HATA WHANAU A APANUI 7. Digger TE KANAWA TE KUITI 8. George WARETINI WANGANUI 9. Marjory Rau KUPA NEW PLYMOUTH 10. Tungia BAKER OTAKI & PONEKE 11. Sonny KEEPA HASTINGS 12. Jacob SCOTT NAPIER 13. Ngapine ALLEN TURANGA NUI to HICKSBAY 14. Ivan EHAU RUATORIA 15. Rawiri PARATENE Hone TUWHARE OTEPOTI TE WAIPOUNAMU Maire GOODALL

A highlight of the conference was the attendance of master carver Tuti TUKAOKAO, who gave of his expertise and knowledge to the young aspiring carvers in attendance. Tuti is very keen to establish a carvers guild under the umbrella of the Society. He sees this as a means of solving some of the unemployment prolems facing our youth today as well as revitalising the art of carving. His proposals were well received by all in attendance. It would appear that more and more artists (artists in the broad sense) are beginning to see merit in being under the umbrella of the Society. This is commendable and fitting since the Society is an autonomous body which can promote and support all aspects of the Maori world.

In his President’s report, Para Matchitt mentioned the need for the Society to form structures so as not to dissipate all the energy. He was referring to the energy the conference engendered in

people. Para went on to mention the need for the Society to work closely with such organisations as Maori Affairs, Labour Department, Internal Affairs and any others. Whilst there were expressions of consent over this matter, there was also the will to strongly resist any moves which may threaten the autonomy of the Society. This may be particularly in the area of funding where often there are strings attached.

Highlights

Other highlights of the conference were the works displayed by various members. Among those displays presented were John Miller with his photographs, Hawkes Bay Community College; Emily Schuster from the Rotorua Arts and Crafts Centre with her kete; Roka Paora with her kete display; Ohaki Enterprises with work from Rangimarie Hetet and her daughter Digger Te Kanawa; Te Awe Davis with her dyed kete; John Hovell with his paintings; Para Matchitt with his submission of woven paper panel. Tuti Tukaokao with his own works plus those of his students at Tauranga; Ivan Ehau with his carved tahaa; Tungai Baker with her different, innovative collapsible fruit bowl and works from various members of the Otaki ope; June Grant’s portraiture; Toi Maihi’s mountings on taniko designs and Frankie Kahukiwa’s carved bone. I apologise if I have left out any work which was displayed.

For yet another year the concert was a burst of creative energy new poems, new songs, new satire, with items of the traditional. The concert was notable for its vibrant energy and also for the much appreciated visit of

Peter Tapsell, who made a point of calling in after a long draining trip to the South Island. In my opinion the highlights of the concert were two satirical happenings one from the Auckland Group and one from the Rotorua Group.

The Auckland group’s happening was a satire on “Korero Mai” by Harakeke Productions with Tainui Stephens, Raymond Henare, Adrian Faulkner, Wiki Oman, Tui Cherrington, Paki Cherrington and Mangere College Art students, Ruth and leti. The satire was energetic, vital and had an enormous sense of fun.

The Rotorua happening was a satire on the pupet-like appearance that some Maori arts have adopted in the performing arts field, it was also a satire on American tourist and what they see as a typical Maori. They then did a personification of the growing of the flax. Their group Ngati Hau E Wha of Waiariki included Kathy Dewes, Lincoln Fairhall, Paora Maxwell, Donna Gardner, Tom Rangihuna, Puhi Rangiaho, Rawiri Tipene-Leach, Pio Tamahori, Tuti Paul and June Northcroft. Their presentation was especially effective because it was performed in Maori.

Others taking part in the concert were: Reverend Kingi Hail Ihaka who did his rendition of “This is the house that Haki built’’; the Delamere Sisters singing; Viv Gregory with his group doing their pieces of poetry; Ron Baker performing a piano piece he had composed called “Flax Rhapsody”; Ahurangi with their reggae type rendering of Hone Tuwhare’s “No Ordinary Sun”; Trixie Menzies read some of her poetry, followed by a song sung by Tui Cherrington which was written by Kohine Ponika.

Tainui Stephens was next with an apakura written by himself for an uncle followed by a waiata he had written for his son; Arapera Blank recited poetry inspired by flax panals and plaiting; Paki Cherrington read poetry written by Keri Kaa and Te Pere Curtis; Rosemary Kohu and John De Roo read poems from their recent publication “Broken Chant”; Ngati Kahungunu presented a polished performance of the old classic “Kotiro Maori” and “Ruawharo”, a waiata composed especially for the opening of one of their wharenui; Ngata Memorial College did an old Ngati Porou classic “Paikea” with vim and vitality; Hone and Mere Ngata read poetry and performed a blues number; Rangimoana Taylor did a slice of life number and the evening was completed with readings from Rawiri Paratene, Rowley Habib and Hone Tuwhare.

The hui was again energising and sparked off further activity in the regions. The Auckland rohe begin their monthly gatherings with the first at “Te Marae O Paki” on the 25th June. Wellington region begin on the 2nd July, with their meeting at the Wellington Arts Centre to form their own regional committee and to start fundraising. The 1984 conference venue was not decided at this year’s hui, but there was intense friendly rivalry between Wanganui and Otaki both wanting to stage next years hui. It has been left to the National Executive to make the decision as to where the next Annual Hui will be held.