A HIGH STANDARD

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 473, 6 March 1933, Page 5

A HIGH STANDARD

SPLENDID PROGRAMME GIVEN FOR GONFERENCE DELEGATES MAORI COLOUR AND MELODY Through familiarity, Rotorua is a little inclined to overlook the fact that it has practically a monopoly of one of the world's uniqUe entertainments— the Maori concert. It really requires the appreciation of visitors to give a proper value to the very high entertainment standard which has been attained by the varjous Maori concert parties in the town, and this appreciation has never been mpr'e convincingly shown than on Friday night when combiped concert parties from Whakarewarewa staged a really splendid programme for the visitihg delegates to the Municipal Conference. There was a verve about the performance which can only be attained when every performer on the stage is enjoying himself or herself to the full. This was so patently the case 'With the Maori performers that the I audience could not help but ehjoy itself also. It was wholly and entirely an appreciative audience from start to finish and with performers and audience on such' excellent terms, enjoyment was almost ai foregone conclUsinn

Perhaps the most striking feature pf the concert, te those whb have sedn this type of entertainment before, was the remarkably high standard which' is being set in the poi drills. Every girl in the various poi numbers, had time and rhythm and the movements of the dance to perfection. The audience does not always realise the hard Work that goes to make a fl'nished ballet or a, concert act number of any kind, and this applies in eveh more than equal degree to the poi • dance. There were pois of all descriptions, Single and double, with action singihg and without. Stirring h'akas, the haunting melody of Maori love dittiesj all the colour and music ihherent In the Maori went to make Up a really joyous entertainment. The fact that the great majority of the numbers were old favourites added eyen more to its popularity. ; The solo items by Ana Hato, the well known Maori soprano, ,in themselves made the concert well-worth while, while a concerted rendering of that old and tried favourite "Annie Laurie" given the unique settin^ of the Maori voices, was an outstanding number by the comnanv.

Before the programme commenced, Chief Mita Taupopolci, on behalf of the Tuhourangi tribe, welcomecLthe Visitors in an eloquent speech whicli was translated by Guide Belja. The chiefs welcome was responded to by Mr. G. W. Hutchison, Mayor of Aucklnad, on behalf of the visitof Sj who paid a warm tribute to the Maori race as strong enemies in war and the staunchest of friends in peaee» I'hen, very appropri ately, tbe *pror | gramme opened with the ancient Maori ceremony of welcome, the Womep of the village waving fern fronds and singing and the warriors breaking through to give their haka of welcome. Fi-Pari-Ra., known the world over a?. the Maori song of farewell, also very appfopriately, closed the programme. Af cer the concert, a number of the visitors attended a special dance arr?nged at Whakarewarewa to raise money for the pa improvement fUnd, •and in this wa.y gave p-ractical evid- ; ence of their appreciation of what had been provided for them.