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This recording contains eleven songs composed by Tuini Ngawai, acknowledged as one of Māoridom's foremost modern Māori song composers. She was a protégé of Sir Apirana Ngata, and was strongly influenced by his knack of writing about a variety of events which affected Māori.
This recording was made in Tokomaru Bay by broadcaster Leo Fowler in the early 1960s. The singers are Tuini Ngawai and her niece Ngoi Pewhairangi.
Tuini Ngawai made no apology for "borrowing" Pākēha or western melodies current at the time. For example, "It's Shearing Season" has as its melody line, the popular "It's Now Or Never", a hit tune made popular by Elvis Presley.
She was a prolific writer whose range of songs ranged from the deeply spiritual to comic songs reflecting aspects of life in Māori shearing gangs.
The following eleven songs composed by Tuini Ngāwai are performed [where the Pākēha tune is known, this is shown in brackets]:
- What A Dopey Gang (Got You On My Mind)
- Kei Te Hotuhotu (Bongo Bongo)
- Ko Te Matauranga (Moving On)
- It's Shearing Season (It's Now Or Never)
- I'm Introducing To You (40 Miles Of Bad Road)
- From Me To Maternity (With A Rose In Her Hair)
- Kua Tata Ki Te Wa
- Ko Matou He Rangatahi (Yellow Bird)
- Taranaki Man
- Ehara i te mea
- Ringiringihia