Paraire Henare Tomoana

Ngāti Kahungunu

1868 - 1946

Sir Kingi Ihaka writes: "The late Paraire Tomoana of Hastings who composed the ever-popular ‘E pari ra’, was a prolific writer of action songs." He has also been described as "one of the best composers of waiata-a-ringa in the early decades of this century." He wrote his poems in Māori.

Biographical sources

  • Correspondence from Wilhelmina Tomoana: 14 Feb. and 19 Mar. 1998.
  • Te Ao Hou 25 (1958): 51-52.
  • The Penguin Book of New Zealand Verse. Ed. Ian Wedde and Harvey McQueen. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1985. 536. Rpt. in 1986, 1987.

    Music

  • "A Noble Sacrifice." Words and action arranged by Hon. A. T. Ngata and P. H. Tomoana. Wellington, N.Z.: New Zealand Freelance Office, 1919.
  • Words and action arranged by A. T. Ngata and P. H. Tomoana. Words in English and Māori.
  • "Hoea Ra Te Waka Nei/Come where duty calls." “A Noble Sacrifice” and “Hoea Ra Te Waka Nei” (“Come Where Duty Calls.”) Words and action arranged by Hon. A. T. Ngata and P. H. Tomoana. Wellington, N.Z.: New Zealand Freelance Office, 1919. Words and action arranged by A. T. Ngata and P. H. Tomoana. Words in English and Māori
  • Words and action arranged by Hon. A. T. Ngata and P. H. Tomoana. Words in English and Māori.
  • "I Runga O Nga Puke." English trans. A. T. Ngata. Hui Whakamahara Ki a Maui Pomare, Manukorihi Pa, Waitara, Hune 23-27, 1936. New Plymouth, N.Z.: McLeod & Slade, [1936]. 79-80. Rpt. as "I Runga O Nga Puke/ From The Hills Resounding." In ‘Māori Action Songs.’ English trans. Sir Apirana Ngata. Comp. with notes by Rev. Kingi Ihaka. Te Ao Hou 25 (1958): 52.
  • The Hui Whakamahara notes state that this is ‘[b]ased on a song which was current in the Rotorua district in the summer of 1914, and later adapted in both words and air by Paraire Tomoana of Hastings. The song, "I runga o nga Puke," will long be associated with Second Māori Contingent, which was farewelled in the Wellington, N.Z. Town Hall in September, 1915. The English version is by A. T. Ngata.’ Kingi Ihaka writes that this was one of Tomoana’s first compositions and was a favourite during World War I. This song expresses the pain of lovers being separated during time of war.
  • "E Pari Ra." Hui Whakamahara Ki a Maui Pomare, Manukorihi Pa, Waitara, Hune 23-27, 1936. New Plymouth, N.Z.: McLeod & Slade, [1936]. 81. Written in Māori. Rpt. in Te Māori: The Official Journal of the New Zealand Māori Council 2.5 (Oct./Nov. 1971): 14. Rpt. as "E Pari Rā/ Full Tide." English trans. Margaret Orbell. The Penguin Book of New Zealand Verse. Ed. Ian Wedde and Harvey McQueen. Introd. and notes by Ian Wedde and Margaret Orbell, consultant to the editors. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1985. 106-108. Rpt. in 1986, 1987.
  • The Hui Whakamahara notes accompanying this song state: "Rangi: An adaptation of the "Blue Eyes Waltz," which was the star piece of the repertoire of the Moteo Māori Orchestra, caught the ear of Paraire Tomoana, who seized upon the air for the famous Māori version following. Mr. and Mrs. (Maku) Ellison, of Te Aute, having lost their eldest son - Whakatomo - on the fields of Flanders, his death inspired Mr. Tomoana in this composition." The editorial notes in The Penguin Book of New Zealand Verse, state ‘[t]his song, adopted by the RNZN as their official slow march, was composed in memory of the son of Hemi Rapaea from Kairakau.’ A song of mourning and farewell to a son lost to the marae and ‘fallen in far places.’
  • "Kia Ora Ra Koutou." Hui Whakamahara Ki a Maui Pomare, Manukorihi Pa, Waitara, Hune 23-27, 1936. New Plymouth, N.Z.: McLeod & Slade, [1936]. 78. Rpt. in Māori and English in "Māori Action Songs." Kingi Ihaka. Te Ao Hou 24 (1958): 21.
  • The Hui Whakamahara notes accompanying this song state: "The compilers cannot trace the source of the melody. They first heard the Hukarere girls singing what is here the third verse which was probably composed by Paraire Tomoana. Verses 1 and 2 were arranged by A. T. Ngata, and the whole song was sung with appropriate action by the Takitimu and Horouta girls at the "Hui Aroha," Gisborne, in April, 1919." Kingi Ihaka writes that this song was ‘one of the favourites of the Tairawhiti Kiwi Club of Gisborne during 1939-45" (20-21).
  • "Pōkarekare Ana/The Waters of Waiapu." English trans. Margaret Orbell. The Penguin Book of New Zealand Verse. Ed. Ian Wedde and Harvey McQueen. Introd. and notes by Ian Wedde and Margaret Orbell, consultant to the editors. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1985. 105-106. Rpt. in 1986, 1987. Rpt. as "Pokarekare Ana." English trans. Margaret Orbell. The Sleepy Giant & Other Poems. School Journal 3.3 (1989): 56-57.
  • A waiata whaiaipo, or love song, in which the speaker calls for his loved one to come back to him.

    • Non-fiction

  • "Te Hui O Heretaunga." Te Toa Takitini 43 (Pepuere [Feb.] 1, 1925): 187.
  • "E Te Iwi I Roto I Te Rohe O Tamatea Māori Kaunihera." P. H. Tomoana, W. K. Winiata, W. H. Nikera, Pohe Hemi, Akonga Mohi and Katene Pukerua. Te Toa Takitini 43 (Pepuere [Feb.] 1, 1925): 188.

  • Other

  • "A Noble Sacrifice" and "Hoea Ra Te Waka Nei" ("Come Where Duty Calls.") Words and action arranged by Hon. A. T. Ngata and P. H. Tomoana. Wellington, N.Z.: New Zealand Free Lance Office, 1919.
  • This publication includes the Māori and English texts of the action song "A Noble Sacrifice", the poi song "Hoea ra te Waka Nei (Come Where Duty Calls)", Ngata’s poem "Scenes from the Past", Ngata’s essay "The Poi Dances" and the Māori song "Te Kainga Tupu."

    Other

  • Brown, Tawhiwhi. "E Pari Ra: Me waiata tangi, he waiata Na Paraire Tomoana o Ngāti Kahungunu (Rangi: Blue eyed waltz). Te Māori 2.5 (1971): 14.