Maori Girl Wins Contract With ABC

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 27, 16 December 1938, Page 6

Maori Girl Wins Contract With ABC

SEVERAL New AZealanders have made names for themselves in Australian radio, and the latest is Miss Ramea te Miha, talented Maori girl, who leaves for Australia early in — ~

the new year under contract to the ABC. Miss te Miha, who comes from a South Island tribe, not only has a fine singing voice, but is a clever black-and-white artist and an actress of no mean ability. When Frontier Films, Lid., producer for which is Rudail Hayward, well known Auckland

cinematographer, decided to mdke a talkie version of "Rewi’s Last Stand," Miss te Miha was selected for the part of the heroine, and in the film she sings several old Maori chants. While Lawrence Tibbett was in New Zealand he was very anxious to hear some typically Maori

music, but much of the music he heard at Rotorua was obviously affected by European influences. At Auckland, however, he gave an audition to Miss te Miha, and heard her sing several old Maori chants and laments. At the same time Tib« hett was delighted with Miss te Miha’s voice, and predicted a great "ture for her, even suggesting that she was a type which Hollywood was looking or, Miss te Miba went to Australia some months ago for a short stay, but returned te. ecemplete some scenes in "Rewi’s Last Stand," which ill probably be released in the neat future.