Music and customs

Radio programme: Song and Story of the Māori [1950s].

The modern Māori prefer the guitar to the nguru or the nose flute of his ancestors, the ukelele to the kōauau. The kōauau the nguru and the putarino were instruments that our ancesters used in days gone by and are very seldom used today.

The nguru or nose flute demands remarkable breath control, the pūtōrino is likened to the phagulet with a hump in the middle. Other instruments include the pūtara used as a warning instrument and the pukaeo or war trumpet.

This is followed by explanations of the hand games and whakapapa.