Nga puna waihanga 1984

Tu Tangata, Issue 19, 1 August 1984, Page 34

Nga puna waihanga 1984

(New Zealand Maori Artists and Writers

Te Paki Hone Te Aho Cherrington.

This year the annual conference was held at Ratana Pa, Wanganui (1 June-4 June). As the membership has grown over the years it has been necessary to select a venue which could handle the increasing number of maori people wishing to attend this ever-popular hui. The tangata whenua of Ratana Pa handled the crowd of over 500 with ease and aroha.

Dame Te Atairangikaahu, Dame Whina Cooper, Mrs Whetu TirikateneSullivan M.P., Mr Mike Moore M.P., Mr Koro Wetere M.P., and Dr Bruce Gregory M.P., were some of the dignataries present over the weekend. Mrs Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan officially opened the conference.

The hui began with members of the Design Council being introduced to the conference. These members spoke of their art field and commented on the society. The Design Council consists of the following people:

Mac Whakamoe Whaikorero Digger Te Kanawa Weaving Selwyn Muru Painting Arnold Wilson Sculpture Witi Ihimaera Writing Patricia Grace Writing Syd Melbourne Music/Composing Hone Tuwhare Poetry Don Selwyn Drama Sonny Keepa Nga Moteatea Paki Harrison Carving Kara Puketapu Maori Internatonal

The conference divided into remit discussion groups facilitated by the following people.

1. John Ford, Fred Graham, and Ros Hemera art education. 2. Ivan Ehau and Jacob Scott art industry/employment. 3. Sonny Keepa and Witi Ihimaera art and youth. 4. Georgina Kirby and Katarina Mataira regional development. 5. Donna Hall and Brian Kirby the role of the society. 6. Tungia Baker conservation. Remits from these groups were presented to the annual general meeting. There was too little time to discuss many of the huge numbers of remits. Those will probably have to be disseminated to the regions via the national executive. The A.G.M. elected the following as national executive for 1984/85: President Para Matchitt, reelected, unopposed

Secretary to be chosen Treasurer Ross Hemera, reelected, unopposed Executive Tungia Baker, reelected Ivan Ehau, re-elected George Waretini, reelected Sonny Keepa, reelected Donna McLeod, newly elected Syd Melbourne, newly elected Whilst many matters were discussed at the A.G.M. to my mind the most important were: 1. The change of name to Nga Puna Waihanga (New Zealand Maori Artists and Writers Society). 2. The spirited plea by Miria Simp-

son for conservation. She exhorted each member to go home and plant and nuture six harakeke plants and to report back to the next conference on their progress. She suggested an embargo on the current pingao plants for four years, in order to make certain of their re-growth. She reported only four areas left which had a supply of pingao Tai Tokerau, Castlecliffe, Raglan, and Foxton. She also reported on the state of kiekie supplies which are also dwindling. Space precludes further detail but all maori people must become aware of the danger of extinction of these plants. They like ourselves, are ‘endangered species’ and we must act

now for the preservation of ourselves and these rapidly dwindling plants. A high light of the conference was the visit to the Seargeant Art Gallery, Wanganui, where an exhibition of maori art was mounted to coincide with our hui. Many of our members were exhibiting. They included Selwyn Muru, John Ford, Ross Hemera, Fred Graham, Danny Nicholas, Matt Pine, Mark Klarisich, Baye Riddell, John Hovell, Robyn Kahukiwa, Ralph Hotere, W. Heteraka, Pari Te Whata, Para Matchitt, Jacob Scott, and many others including weavers and carvers from all areas. Some had not exhibited with us before. Their inclusion is welcomed. A further highlight was the theatre performances of three groups Te Whai Ao from Waiatarau, Auckland, Te Ohu Whakaari from Wellington, and the quartet from the New Zealand

School of Dance, Wellington. Te Whai Ao presented a costumed performance of native forest birds in song, dance, and dialogue. Their style was reminiscent of Maranga Mai and Te Whanau but with a further development. Te Whai Ao generally presented a more contemporary view there were hints of ‘bop’ and “street kids” in their performance. That this group could, in twelve or so weeks from the formation of the arts-related work skills course under the auspices of the N.Z. Maori Artists and Writers, starting from cornplete inexperience in the performing arts, present such a performance is nothing short of miraculous.

Special happenings need special people. Tribute here is given to Don Selwyn, Whatanui Skipworth, and Kuini Wano, as supervisors of the group. The group has performed three times in Auckland and has toured the mid-region of the North Island. Their tour ended with their last performance at the Municipal Theatre, Wanganui, on Saturday 2 June. The whole conference attended.

Similarly Te Ohu Whakaari from Wellington, who used unemployed young people. Their performance included aspects of maori myth in dance, song, and dialogue and included two startingly effective ‘ant’ people. Their performance too developed further the style of Te Whanau and Maranga Mai but in their own distinctive way. The special people involved here were Darcy Nicholas, Rangimoana Taylor, and Gaylene Sciascia.

Both performances made our young people walk tall. They showed skill and pride in being maori.

The third group was a quartet of three dancers and a drummer. They were from the N.Z. School of Dance, Wellington. Tai Royal and Warren Pakipaki, both maori, and Willie Thompson, a Rarotongan, and Kincho, a black South African, presented three exciting numbers including an electrifying dance based on haka movements. This dance was for me one of the most interesting items of the conference. It showed a 1984 interpretation yet retained the essence of our tupuna.

Again the four-hour concert was a highlight. Personalities emerged and this year the satire was provided by Te Arawa in the form of ‘M.I.S’ by Ngati Raruraru. They interviewed Mr Kara-Not-So-Tapu looking for his Respect-Us. The concert was organised by Batman and Ribbon (Paki Cherrington and Keri Kaa) and opened by Mac Whakamoe. The evening of fun, food and laughter was closed ‘in unison’ by Batman and Ribbon. Batman would like to inform everyone that his wings were found before he left Ratana. Dun Mihaka was present and his voice was heard. However we were somewhat preturbed that a cleanshaven gentleman said to be calling himself ‘Burt Reynolds’ was handing out political pamphlets whilst masquerading as ‘Dun Mihaka’. Once again a very energising annual conference, one which will give us vitality for another 12 months. To me the art exhibition and the N.Z. School of Dance, both showing a high level of expertise, and poet Whiti Taurerewa, epitomise what is best in our society: the former two for the high level of expertise they demonstrated and Whiti for having the courage as a beginning writer to stand up and share her work with us. Kia Kaha, e hine.