Māori Programme. 1967-02-14. No.126A

Rights Information
Year
1967
Reference
46422
Media type
Audio
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Rights Information
Year
1967
Reference
46422
Media type
Audio
Categories
Māori radio programs
Radio programs
Sound recordings
Duration
00:26:50
Taonga Māori Collection
Yes
Credits
RNZ Collection
Parker, Wiremu Leonard, 1914-1986, Presenter
Kerekere, Wiremu Kīngi, 1923-2001, Producer
Taiapa, Pine, Speaker/Kaikōrero
Awatere, Arapeta, 1910-1976, Performer

Wiremu Parker begins the programme with an explanation of the waiata tangi or lament which is number 92 in [Sir Apirana Ngata's book] "Nga Moteatea": Whakaarihia ra, e whare, to rakai-hau e.
This song was sung by the women of Akuaku at the time of a tragedy, when a man was drowned at sea.
Wiremu Parker then translates the lyrics into English as the waiata is sung.
(Archival recording from the Māori Purposes Fund Board recordings of the 1950s.)

Pine Taiapa was one of the main people connected with the erection of the
meeting house at Waitangi. He was in charge of the carving of this historic
meeting house, (known as the Whare Runanga.)
- Kaikōrero: Pine Taiapa talks about how he came to be involved after Tau Hēnare brought a party from Ngāpuhi to visit Ngāti Porou. He sings some of the waiata he heard when he first came to Waitangi to work on the carvings for the wharenui.

He explains the history of the house at Waitangi, after the gift of the land by Lord and Lady Bledisloe.
He says the carvings had to represent every iwi in the country, so all Māori could recognise themselves in it.
Ngāti Hine donated the timber and they are represented by a carving of their tupuna wahine Hine Amaru. Pine Taiapa tells the legend of her birth with the help of whē (daddy-long-legs).

He says the pane carving under the verandah is very rich. He took the pattern of these carvings from the meeting house in the Dominion Museum, Te Hau-ki-Tūranga, carved by Raharuhi Rukupo of Rongowhakaata.

He speaks about challenges he had trying to implement Sir Apirana Ngata's plan to involve the youth of Ngāpuhi in the house's construction, because many did not have enough knowledge of their Māoritanga at this stage, either in carving or tukutuku weaving. World War II was also on which caused problems.

The rear pou tokomanawa is inspired by a meeting house in Whanganui He showed it to Alec Takarangi (?) during the 1940 Centennial celebrations. He explains the importance of every Māori being able to say "Ko au tetāhi - I am also a participant in this building." He says the message of the Waitangi house to Māori was 'Go back to your area and construct something like this.'

The programme ends by revisitng Waitangi Day 1963, in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The challenge was given by Arapeta Awatere. A recording of the wero and haka pōwhiri is played.