Hawaiki Calling provides a Brilliant Evening

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 54, 25 July 1930, Page 1

Hawaiki Calling provides a Brilliant Evening

| ~ MAORI PAGEANT i... Eelipses all —

i PREVIOUS PERFORMANCES

HE.. Maori "pageant presented: from .2YA.on the evening of Tuesday, the 15th’ inst., ‘and again at 11 p.m. on the evening of -the 16th, for the benefit of .New Zealanders ‘overseas ‘and ‘for. Australian, listeners, will go _into broadcasting history as quite an outstanding event. The Wanganui Maori party had established its reputation in previous pageants, so that listeners were justified in expecting ‘a| performance of out standing: quality. Those ‘expectations were: not disappointed. .The numerical strength of the party. this. year was slightly greater than .in preceding efforts, and’ this. gave a volume’ of sound ‘and a" rotundity: of performance that was very. effective; :

The pageant had been comprehensively prepared and thoroughly. well rehearsed. by the. party before arrival in Wellington.- According to the Wanganui "Chronicle" the final rehearsal was held at Kaiwhaike in the big meetinghouse. and before

a‘large gathering of Native people. This audience was of the most critical character, in that they were desirous of seeing that their representatives were of a calibre to bring credit to the Native race. Before this critical audience the full pageant was gone through, extending over three hours, and earned the hearty comepdation of both old and young. An inspiring aie it at the close was the general participation of the audience in one. of the hakas. It can readily be imagined that such a sight would have proved an inspiration. As it is, the volume of sound produced by these hundreds of Maori voices in their haka must be left.to the imagination of those capable of multiplying by 10 or more: the sound conveyed through the microphone of the vigorous hakas given by the

actual party T_ On arrival in Wellington further vehearcals were indulged in by the party prior to Tuesday's presentation. The net result was that the final concerts went with a rhythm and: swing highly creditable to all concerned. Owing to the success of previous broddéasts of this character, it is safe to say that the radio audi« ence on the night in question was @ mighty one. Few loudspeakers that evening would be with out their attendant "ears." The general cons sensus of opinion is that the evening was.of out~_ standing character. Already Press reports reflect public opinion in this regard. \ " Well Done, Wanganuj!" TNDER the heading "Well Done, Wanganui!" ‘ the Christchurch "Star" . said: "Last night’s presentation of ‘Hawaiki Calling was excellently done and both the party and the R.B.C. are to be complimented on the sucs cess of ‘a unique entertainment, which many. listeners will, doubtless, take the opportunity of hearing again at the second performance at 11 o'clock this evening. "After the first five acts-an historical review-came the more entertaining portion of the programme, and here listeners were treated | to a variety of songs, choruses, poi dances and hakas that cannot be paralleled in any other country of the world. (Concluded on page 2.3}

Hawaiki Calling

(Continued from page 1.) Outstariding in this section of the performance was the trio of women’s voices in a lament in memory of the late Sir Maui Pomare; the solo, ‘When the Great Red Dawn is Shining,’ by Makuini Tamehana, and the duet, ‘When You Played the Organ,’ by Mere Whanarere and Makuini Tamehana, The soloist in the trio possesseS a lovely contralto voice, nicely @6iitrolled and of rare quality. In the two solos, ‘When the Great Red Dawn’ and ‘Danny Boy,’ the singers, Makuini Tamehana and Raina Kahukura respectively, exhibited a quality that is all foo rare among amateur vocalists-a elear and clean-cut enunciation. As a rule, only professional singers realise the’ value of ‘putting over’ the wireléss or across the footlights the words of their songs sufficiently distinctly to enable their heaters to know what they are singing about. Raina was, perhaps, a trifle emphatic in this reSpect, but it was a fault easily forgiven. "The hakas were great. The writer’s loudspeaker was jarred to its innermost edils by the vigour of the warriors. The poi dances did not make any great calls on one’s imagination, the rhythmic strokes of the double and single raupo balls being heard quite distinctly. "Altogether it was a concert as pleasing as it was out of the ordinary. Its yesuit, so far as ‘Aerial’ is concerned, was to cause feelings of regret that Maori was not one of the languages school teachers consiacred nevessary in His school days. Not that it is now ---more’s the pity." ‘fhe Christchurch ‘Sun" said: * "Phe Wanganui Maori party is to be sincerely congratulated on its presentation. ef the Maori entertainment ‘Hawaiki Calling’ from station 2¥A Jast evening. The musical voices of the Maori maidens, and the beautiful bal‘ance of the choruses came over the air through the microphone to the many

thousands of listeners scattered through the Dominion with peffect clearness, and must have given pleasure to a great many pakehas, especially the younger generation, who have nét had the privilege of meeting the Maori in his primitive state in the early days of the colonisation of New Zealand. The New Zealand Broddecasting Company is also td be congratulated on the organisation of the party, and the technical excellence of the broadcast."

"TH gecond. evening’s performance was again a brilliant success. On this o¢easion the select audience in the studio was swollen by a number of the radio: dealers and others interested in the Radio Exhibition in the Town Hall, whére the Maori Party had appeared in the earlier part of the evening. By arrangement, the Maori Party provided. the major part of the programmes each evening at the Radio Pxhibition in the Town Hall, and undoubtedly proved the stat attraction for that -event. Particularly bad weather on. Wednesday evening affected the attendance, but on Thursday, Friday, and. Saturday evenings the attendarice was almost of capacity charactér. Numerous letters and telegrams have been: received by the Broadcasting Company. They came from ail over New Zealand, and are far too numerous to publish. Qne of the letters is: of more than passing interest, from St. Kilda, Dunedin: "AS a young fellow ‘over 50 years ago I was a cadet in the Native Survey Department, and was stationed in the Wanganui district and lived. in Wanganui. Allow me, then, through you to congratulate the Wanganui Maori Patty upon the excellent programme I heard this evening. Some of the names of the party are famillar to me, and may be descendants of some of'my old Maori friends. Permit me also to,thank the Broadcasting Company for organising this feat. Reception was all that could be desired, and once more I have to congratulate and thank all concerned."