Tarbuk and Watatut emerge from artists group

Tu Tangata, Issue 9, 1 December 1982, Page 34

Tarbuk and Watatut emerge from artists group

Paki Cherrington

Tarbuk and Watatut is a philosophy which came out of Maori humour and it happened at Poho o Rawiri Marae Gisborne during the annual conference of the New Zealand Maori Artists and Writers Society. A group were sitting around in the kitchen drinking tea and coffee and swapping humour and out of this was born a two hour satirical programme. It was the type of humour that juxtaposes or swaps words around, that goes for the ridiculous. The words Tarbuk and Watatut are in fact local pakeha mispronunciations which have been taken by the Maori and mispronounced even further ‘pakeha-wise’. The correct pronunciations are Tapuihikitia and Whatatutu. It was examples of this sort of humour that were presented at the artists conference, aptly enough by a group calling themselves, ‘Tarbuk and Watatut players’. The idea was workshoped further by a group from Auckland and is now being presented in shows which use Maori humour as an uplifting entertainment for Maori people. It is not antipakeha but it is pro-Maori and there

lies the difference. The creators of Tarbuk and Watatut were Paki Cherrington, Raymond Henare, Mereana Otene-Waaka, Tainui Stephens, Poto Stephens, Tungia Baker, Kathy Findlay, Donna Hall, Brian and Georgie Kirby, Turi Hollis, Paul Maxwell and Keri Kaa. Further ‘creators’ since conference now include Waireti Rolleston, Dawn Underwood, and Tui Cherrington. The annual artists conference at Poho o Rawiri Marae was also notable for the meeting house, Rongopai. Rongopai was ‘mind blowing’ for its artwork. Art created in 1876, yet which appears so modern. Rongopai is a ‘house’ which is indeed a multi-million work of art. The house was built for Te Kooti for his return. I understand Te Kooti did not manage to return to it. The house was decorated with an amazing variety of art from the ‘universe of the 1870s’. There were scotch thistles, people riding horses, mermaidlike figures, pigeons, rata-like vines, grape-vines, scenes depicting the changing of the seasons, a kiwi, poupou which shows various sayings from the

Bible, swans, beetles, four leafed clover, spurs, Jack in the beanstalk looking scenes and others. The variety is great and the house teems with an affirmation of being alive. It is my feeling that no New Zealand artist, Maori or Pakeha can truly call themselves a NZ artist if they have not seen and studied Rongopai. The seeing and studying was made intelligible by the explanation and discussion with the Tangatawhenua of Rongopai. We were told of Te Kooti being gifted A 2000 by Auckland pakeha people to sue the Government of the day for his ‘wrongful arrest’. We were told he won the first case against the Government but lost the second case to appeal by the Government. We heard verses sung from ‘Exalt for Te Kooti’, the bold, composed at the time of the happening. Once visited Rongopai is never forgotten.

ESTABLISHED ARTISTS: It was heart warming to have the opportunity to welcome a number of established Maori artists who have been busy working at their art for the past few years, unable to take the opportunity of attending because of commitments. It was heart warming to have them attend and give the essence to the conference. It is one of the responsibilities of Maori artists to be seen and heard at gatherings such as this. The more established they be the greater the responsibility to attend. Our young need to see and talk with their own established artists. They need to feel that an established artist is in fact a Maori and alive and well in whatever year it may be. CREATIVITY versus BUREAUCRATICITY: The old bugbear of the art world raised its ‘hoary’ head. Unfortunately this is a time old and time worn dilemma. Do we simply allow creativity free rein or do we attempt to make it into some kind of bureaucracy? There was much discussion with an equal number of supporters for either point of view. I see the New Zealand Society of Maori Artists and Writers as belonging to the Maori Artists and Writers, and certainly not the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council, Maori Affairs or any other organisation. There seemed to be a stalemate on the ‘creativity’ versus ‘bureaucracy’ question but the following structure came into being as an Executive. STRUCTURE: Chairperson & President: Para Matchitt, Committee:

Georgina Kirby, Ross Hemera, Selwyn Muru, Toi Maihi, Maaka Jones, Sonny Kepa, Keri Kaa, Toko Te Kani. There was some informal discussion over meals as to the possibility of a Patron. ARTIST: There seemed to be some confusion over what type of animal a Maori artist is, or what type of animal a Maori writer is? I personally see the definition of artist in the wide sense as encompassing all features of life. Therefore our cooks, our whaikorero people, our women who karanga are as equally ‘artists’ as our actors, painters, novelists, poets. All are necessary features in my life as a Maori. I venture to suggest that if our cooks, whaikorero people and women who karanga are to be excluded from the society by definition then I will have to be excluded by definition. CONCERT: I am unable to conclude my comments on the conference without mentioning all who took part in the concert either spontaneously or with preparation. Tabuk and Watatut presented the ‘Hoha programme’ and there was a continuous flow of items from Ata Nepia, Mary Campbell (songs), Tainui Stephens ‘oriori’ composed for his baby sons first attendance at a conference, Api Taylor and his poetry especially his chilling presentation of ‘A Sad Joke’ on a Marae’, Ada Tamihana, Heni Williams, Donna Hall (Koauau) who paired with Tony Davis-Waho singing Sid Melbourne’s ‘Tihore Mai’, Maureen Wilson, the Aboriginal ‘story teller’

who returned to Australia with a play written by Dawn Underwood, which could easily be played by an Aborigine family. (The play ‘June day’ deals with a Maori family in the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust in the Pacific), the tangatawhenua cooks, Wilson company, Hone Ngata and his wife with their moving songs and poetry making their peace with aroha, Bub Bridges, Patricia Grace with her stories of childhood memories, Ron Baker from Taranaki and his piano playing pieces entitled ‘Tangaroa’, ‘Urewera’ and ‘love theme to an orphan’, Master Matenga by Tainui Stephens and Raymond Henare, Mana Cracknell as a singer/guitarist, Liszl Prendergast from Waipukarau, singing ‘Havana Gila’ and an Irish ‘poroporoaki’ Mereana Otene Waaka, Dawn Underwood and Paki Cherrington with their tribute to their friend and mentor Hori Tait, plus excerpts (with help from friends) from the show ‘Hanga Hou’ which was taken to Papua New Guinea in 1980, and Keri Kaa and her very perceptive poetry. I apologise if I have missed out mentioning certain participants in the concert. I have not done so purposefully, and I plead gross intoxication by creativity!