Kumeroa Ngoingoi Pewhairangi

Ngāti Porou

1922 -

Kumeroa Pewhairangi was born at Tokomaru Bay on the East Coast and was educated at Hukarere Māori Girls’ College. She was a leader of Hokowhitu-a-Tu, a cultural group which supported the Māori Battalion during and after the war. "Many of her compositions have helped to form a bridge between traditional compositions and contemporary protest songs: her ‘Maunga Marotiri’ was written for Nga Tamatoa. She was deeply involved through the Tauira Trust in a local self-help community development programme and from 1978 she was the Māori and Pacific Islander Continuing Education Officer for the National Council of Adult Education in Gisborne. She was honoured by the Queen for this work. In 1980 she represented New Zealand at the South Pacific Arts Festival in Papua New Guinea, with Hone Tuwhare, Katerina Mataira and Wiremu Kerekere." She taught Māori for many years, was a scriptwriter for Te Reo television programme and was a member of the Māori and Pacific Arts Council. She was noted as a composer of both traditional waiata and of music in a contemporary idiom.

Biographical sources

  • Into the World of Light: An Anthology of Māori Writing. Ed. Witi Ihimaera and D. S. Long. Auckland, N.Z.: Heinemann, 1982. 57.

    Music

  • "Maunga Marotiri." Into the World of Light: An Anthology of Māori Writing. Ed. Witi Ihimaera and D. S. Long. Auckland, N.Z.: Heinemann, 1982. 57.
  • "Hei Kōnei Rā." Te Ao Mārama: Contemporary Māori Writing. Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing ed. Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 1: Te Whakahuatanga O Te Ao: Reflections of Reality. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1992. 133.

  • Non-fiction

  • "Foreword: Learning And Tapu." Te Ao Hurihuri: Aspects of Māoritanga. Ed. Michael King. Auckland, N.Z.: Longman Paul, 1975. Rev. ed. 1977. Rpt. in Tihe Mauri Ora. Ed. Michael King. Wellington, N.Z.: Methuen New Zealand, 1978. No further details. A combined and revised single-volume edition of both these works was published as Te Ao Hurihuri: Aspects of Māoritanga. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1992. 9-14.
  • Co-authored with Te Uira Manihera and John Rangihau.
  • "Te Hui Kaitito." Meri Soloman. Broadsheet 118 (Apr. 1984): 8-11.
  • Meri Solomon writes of issues raised at Te Hui Kaitito, the first national Māori music hui which was held at Hoani Waititi Marae in Auckland, N.Z. in March 1984, and interviews Ngoi Pewhairangi and Mereana Pitman on their songwriting and vision for Māori songwriting in the future.
  • Tuini: Her Life And Her Songs. Gisborne, N.Z.: Te Rau, 1985.

  • Other

  • He Paku Awhina. [Wellington, N.Z.]: Te Ataarangi Inc. Soc., 1984.
  • Te Reo 1. [Wellington; Raglan, N.Z.]: BCNZ Enterprises; Ahuru Enterprises, [1985].
  • Na Ngoi Pewhairangi raua ko Katerina Mataira. [Co-authored with Katerina Mataira].
  • Te Reo 2. [Wellington; Raglan, N.Z.]: BCNZ Enterprises; Ahuru Enterprises, [1985]
  • Na Ngoi Pewhairangi raua ko Katerina Mataira. [Co-authored with Katerina Mataira].

    • Performing Arts

  • He Kōrero Paki Hei Whakatinana. [Wellington, N.Z.]: Te Ataarangi Inc. Soc., 1983.
  • Thirteen short plays in te reo Māori.
  • "Kato Puha." Katerina Mataira and Ngoi Pewhairangi. He Kōrero Paki Hei Whakatinana. [Wellington, N.Z.]: Te Ataarangi Inc. Soc., 1983. No further details. Rpt. in Te Ao Mārama: Contemporary Māori Writing for Children. Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing ed. Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 4: Te Ara o Te Hau: The Path of the Wind. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1994. 109-110.
  • "Te Mokopuna." Katerina Mataira and Ngaoi Pewhairangi. He Kōrero Paki Hei Whakatinana. [Wellington, N.Z.]: Te Ataarangi Inc. Soc., 1983. Rpt. in Te Ao Mārama: Contemporary Māori Writing for Children. Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing ed. Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 4: Te Ara o Te Hau: The Path of the Wind. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1994. 110-111.
  • Co-authored with Katerina Mataira.
  • He Kōrero Paki Hei Whakatinana. Na Katerina Mataira raua ko Ngoi Pewhairangi. [By Katerian Mataira and Ngoi Pewhairangi. [?]: Te Ataarangi Inc Soc., 1983. A collection of plays.

  • Poetry

  • "Kaua Rā Hei Huri Noa/ Do Not Turn Away." Trans. Sam Karetu and the Advisory Committee for the Teaching of the Māori Language. 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. Rpt 1986, 1987. 273-274.
  • The poet urges her people not to turn away but to support the ‘cultural pursuits’ of Māoridom ‘Lest they become lifeless and die/Or be debased by the world at large’.
  • "Ka Noho Au I Konei/ I Sit Here." Trans. Kumeroa Ngoingoi Péwhairangi. ibid. 274-275. Rpt. as "Ka Noho Au/I Sit Here." in The Penguin Book of Contemporary New Zealand Poetry/Ngā Kupu T˚tohu o Aotearoa. Ed. Miriama Evans, Harvey McQueen and Ian Wedde. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1989. 411-412. Rpt. in Māori only in Te Ao Mārama: Contemporary Māori Writing. Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing ed. Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 1: Te Whakahuatanga O Te Ao: Reflections of Reality. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1992. 132.
  • As the speaker sees the undermining effects of modern society on Māori youth, she advocates a return to the spirituality of the Māori and she encourages faith in God ‘Who will turn aside all evils!’
  • "Poi E/Poi." Trans. Te Aomuhurangi Temamaka Jones. The Penguin Book of Contemporary New Zealand Poetry/Ngā Kupu T˚tohu o Aotearoa. Ed. Miriama Evans, Harvey McQueen and Ian Wedde. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1989. 412-413. Rpt. in Māori only in Te Ao Mārama: Contemporary Māori Writing. Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing ed. Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 1: Te Whakahuatanga O Te Ao: Reflections of Reality. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1992. 132-133.
  • A celebration of the poi with the first verse sung by the women and the second verse sung by the men. This waiata was filmed as a music video by the Patea Māori Club. (Ref: Te Ao Mārama: Contemporary Māori Writing. Vol. 1: Te Whakahuatanga O Te Ao: Reflections of Reality. 131.)
  • "Whakarongo/ Listen." Trans. Te Aomuhurangi Temamaka Jones. The Penguin Book of Contemporary New Zealand Poetry/Ngā Kupu T˚tohu o Aotearoa. Ed. Miriama Evans, Harvey McQueen and Ian Wedde. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1989. 414. Rpt. in Māori only in Te Ao Mārama: Contemporary Māori Writing. Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing ed. Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 1: Te Whakahuatanga O Te Ao: Reflections of Reality. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1992. 133-134.
  • A call to listen and to retain te reo Māori, and to ‘Search / the sacred traditions of our ancestors / [and to] Grasp them / to safeguard our welfare!’
  • "E Ipo." Te Ao Mārama: Contemporary Māori Writing. Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing ed. Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 1: Te Whakahuatanga O Te Ao: Reflections of Reality. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1992. 131.
  • This waiata written in Māori was ‘composed at the request of Missy Teka and recorded by Missy’s husband, Prince Tui Teka.’ (Ref: Te Ao Mārama: Contemporary Māori Writing. Vol. 1: Te Whakahuatanga O Te Ao: Reflections of Reality. 131.)
  • "Kāti Rā." Te Ao Mārama: Contemporary Māori Writing. Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing ed. Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 1: Te Whakahuatanga O Te Ao: Reflections of Reality. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1992. 131-132.

    Other

  • Te Ua, Henare and Cushla Parekowhai. "Ngoi Pewhairangi." The Book of New Zealand Women - Ko Kui Ma Te Kaupapa. Ed. Charlotte Macdonald, Merimeri Penfold and Bridget Williams. Wellington, N.Z.: Bridget Williams, 1991: 515-519.
  • The life of Ngāti Porou song-writer Ngoi Pewhairangi is described in outline by Cushla Parekowhai. Henare Te Ua also brings an account of her life from a Ngāti Porou perspective. He paints a picture of a warm-hearted woman with a great sense of humour and love for people. She was active in leading the Tairawhiti cultural group Te Hokowhitu-a-Tu, she judged waiata in the New Zealand Polynesian Festivals, was a member of MASPAC and a pioneer in the development of Te Kohanga Reo. Te Ua notes that her compelling use of the Māori language in her songs carved out for her a significant place amongst contemporary Māori composers.
  • King, Michael. "Tribute to Ngoi Pewhairangi from a Pakeha Friend." Tu Tangata 24 (1985): 15.
  • "Ngoi Pewhairangi." Broadsheet 127 (1985): 11.
  • Tamepo, Rosa. "Ki A Ngoingoi Pewhairangi Na Tona Whanau O Te Ataarangi." Tu Tangata 24 (1985): 15.
  • Erai, Michelle, Fuli, Everdina, Irwin, Kathie and Wilcox, Lenaire. Māori Women: An Annotated Bibliography. [Wellington, N.Z.]: Michelle Erai, Everdina Fuli, Kathie Irwin and Lenaire Wilcox, 1991. 25.