At the invitation of John Elkington, the party's leader, and Michael Grilikhes, director of the Centre, I was able to spend the best part of two days at Laie watching and meeting the group. During the afternoons they rehearsed around the meeting-house, made pois and carried on other crafts in sight of the public and chatted freely about their own country with any who stopped to talk. In their personal contacts with tourists, who are mainly American, these young people must have provided thousands of pounds of free publicity for our country.

Spectacular Polynesian Concert It is at night however, when the cool breezes blow in from the sea, that the Centre really comes to life. From Monday to Saturday during the season the Centre presents a spectacular review in which concert parties from Hawaii, Tonga, Samoa, Tahiti, Fiji and of course New Zealand provide their distinctive contribution. Usually, Maori students from the nearby Mormon University provide Maori items but during my visit the Te Arohanui Party was performing. The audience sits under a grand-stand-like roof, separated from the outdoor stage by an artificial stream some five yards wide. Behind the stage is a towering back-drop of natural rock laced by artificial waterfalls which can be illuminated in all colours by concealed lighting. When it is time for the ‘scene’ on stage to change, a coloured curtain of water leaps high into the air between audience and performers. The Te Arohanui contribution was a fitting climax to a great show. There was no concession to spectacle in their repertoire but the dances and songs were enhanced (as they always are for entertainment purposes) by effective lighting, planned entrances and exits and uninterrupted performance. In Los Angeles I stayed with the Mauriora Entertainers, now renamed ‘The Kiwis’ in deference to the American public. This young and enterprising group of entertainers—Dawn Nathan of Wellington, Ratu and his brother Whiro Tibble of Tikitiki, Kim Porou of Gisborne and Taite Kupa and Agnes Paipa of Hastings—have been performing on a modest scale, gradually becoming better known in the Hollywood entertainment world. A recording made by the group is scheduled for American release shortly. There are a number of other Maoris in business in and around Los Angeles including Eleanor Hirai, formerly of Wellington, who now runs a restaurant known as ‘The Candy Clown’.

The Field is Open In the United States there is of course a great deal of ignorance about New Zealand. Nevertheless amongst educated Americans there is lively interest in our country. Negroes in particular ask searching questions about race relationships and the present state of Maori cultural preservation. Te Arohanui Concert Party by its personal and television appearances has stirred a glimmering of interest in Maori culture and entertainment, and the field is open for other cultural groups to follow the lead of this party. The Americans are partial to spectacular and unusual entertainment and persons experienced in the entertainment world with whom I spoke feel that properly produced presentations of Maori entertainment would be well received. Capta'n Alan Armstrong, Te Ao Hou's record critic, is at present studying in the United States.

ADVERTISER'S ANNOUNCEMENT “Kaua e whakatauhou tetahi ki tetahi. Ko koutou nga hua o te rakau kotahi, ko koutou hoki nga rau o te manga kotahi.” Baha'u'llah. “Me whakakotahi te rawhiti me te uru kia whiwhi tahi ai tetahi ki tetahi i nga rawa e hapa ana. Ma tenei hononga e taea ai te nohoanga tuturu o te tangata i tenei ao, a, ma te taha tinana hoki ka kitea te taha wairua.” Abdu'l-Baha. “Regard ye not one another as strangers. Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch.” Baha'u'llah. “The east and west must unite to give each other what is lacking. This union will bring about a true civilization, where the spiritual is expressed and carried out in the material.” Abdu'l-Baha. BAHA'I FAITH BOX 1906 AUCKLAND