Farewell to Leo Fowler

Unedited recordings of farewell speeches, accolades and songs for Leo Fowler, who after many years as radio station manager in Gisborne was leaving to take up a new broadcasting position in Wellington. [He formed the new Māori Programmes section of the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation with Wiremu Kerekere.]

Unidentified first male speaker (Peter Kaua?) speaks in te reo Māori and English, paying tribute to Leo Fowler for his ability to make friends with many elders of the region.

Unidentified woman (Lynette?) speaks and thanks "Uncle Leo" on behalf of the younger members of Waihīrere.

Unidentified older man calls on "Walter" to join him and they sing "Bye-bye Blackbird" (with lyrics about Leo Fowler)

Unidentified woman "Venus (?)" speaks and then her cousins The Kini Quartet perform a waiata.

An unidentified pākēha man (with ties to Ngāti Oneone) speaks and talks about his interest in preserving traditional Māori music and the work Leo Fowler has done towards this. He sings a waiata (Hoki mai e tama mā) with Waihirere.

Another brief speech by a young person followed by a child singing accompanied by Bill Kerekere on piano.

He is given a farewell by the Waihirere cultural group of Gisborne.