'Te Wa Kainga' & a Rawson Hall performance

'Te Wa Kainga' & a Rawson Hall performance - 

In this episode let’s step into the rich tapestry of Norfolk Island's sound heritage through the vibrant community performances held at our iconic Rawson Hall with a special focus this week, on the Maori performance group 'Te Wa Kainga'.

Rawson Hall has long served as a cultural epicentre of our small Pacific community. 

Philip Hayward in his book publication ‘Bounty Chords’ shares:

It was in 1977, that the Norfolk Island Lions Club sponsored a significant cultural exchange, bringing a Maori performance troupe from New Zealand to the island.

The visiting troupe delivered two remarkable concerts at Rawson Hall.

An emotional highlight came during the finale when the visitors performed "The Ship of Fame" first in English and then in Maori with accompanying actions. The performance was described as giving audience members "goosebumps" and was remembered as "a most beautiful finale to the evening and a wonderful gesture on the part of the group."

In 1980 a local Maori song and dance concert group was formed and called ‘Te Wa Kainga’ meaning ‘home away from home’. This comprised (in the main) New Zealanders working on Norfolk on short-term visas and a number from the Norfolk residents with New Zealand connections and family.  

One founder member, Rosie Saint brought a rich cultural background to Norfolk Island. Growing up in Auckland in a Cook Islander/New Zealand family, music and dance were integral parts of her upbringing. Reflecting on her childhood, Rosie recalled that "you went to school for the music as much as to study!"

Arriving on Norfolk Island around the same time as Rosie, Eunice Vercoe also grew up in a Maori family in New Zealand. Together with Rosie, she became instrumental in establishing and guiding Te Wa Kainga. Their shared cultural heritage and passion for preserving Maori traditions created a strong foundation for the group.

The development of Te Wa Kainga's performances wasn't simply a matter of replicating existing Maori traditions. Instead, as Norfolk Islander Jeanine Snell described, our "dance choreography evolved from our practice meetings." This organic, collaborative process involved members "putting different moves together from different tribes," creating something both authentic and unique to their particular circumstances on Norfolk Island.

This creative evolution extended beyond movement to encompass language and cultural interpretation. As a group comprising members from various Maori backgrounds, they encountered "different pronunciations of Maori words." Rather than declaring one version correct, they would "sit and talk and decide how to say things." Jeanine noted that "those talks were great in themselves," highlighting how the process of negotiating cultural expression was as valuable as the performances that resulted.

 As Jeanine Snell explained, the group aspired to "put on good shows with the proper materials—which were difficult to get on Norfolk." 

 Without access to proper materials or substantial funding, they resorted to "painting yards of material with textas [markers]" to achieve the desired visual effect. Jeanine recalled that "once we borrowed piu piu's [traditional Maori skirts made of flax strips] from my son's school in New Zealand."

AUDIO>> As co-founder and leader of performances, Rob Ropati played a crucial role in shaping the group's public presence. His leadership during the 1981 Rawson Hall performance - is captured in the following audio recording.

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Transcript

Welcome to Episode 40 of the Untold Norfolk Island travel podcast series.

My name is Jodie Williams and as a Norfolk Islander & Churchill Fellow, I am your ‘on island’ podcast host.

>>> Audio: You have just heard a snippet from a performance captured at Rawson Hall in 1981:

In this episode let’s step into the rich tapestry of Norfolk Island's sound heritage through the vibrant community performances held at our iconic Rawson Hall with a special focus this week, on the Maori performance group 'Te Wa Kainga' formed in 1980.

Rawson Hall has long served as a cultural epicentre of our small Pacific community. This beloved venue has witnessed countless performances that have shaped our island's identity and provided a space where locals and visitors alike can gather to experience the joy of live entertainment.

Throughout the decades, the walls of Rawson Hall have absorbed the sounds of laughter, applause, and music that spanned generations.

Philip Hayward in his book publication ‘Bounty Chords’ shares:

It was in 1977, that the Norfolk Island Lions Club sponsored a significant cultural exchange, bringing a Maori performance troupe from New Zealand to the island.

The visiting troupe delivered two remarkable concerts at Rawson Hall, showcasing traditional Maori songs, speeches, hakas and action songs to captivated Norfolk audiences.

Local men were invited on stage to learn the haka, creating memorable moments as they took off their shirts and it was quoted “you should have seen the half-naked men pranced around the stage of Rawson Hall" in enthusiastic participation.

An emotional highlight came during the finale when the visitors performed "The Ship of Fame" first in English and then in Maori with accompanying actions. This thoughtful cultural bridge—presenting a song familiar to Norfolk Islanders in both languages—demonstrated profound respect for the host community while showcasing Maori cultural traditions. The performance was described as giving audience members "goosebumps" and was remembered as "a most beautiful finale to the evening and a wonderful gesture on the part of the group."

In 1980 a local Maori song and dance concert group was formed and called ‘Te Wa Kainga’ meaning ‘home away from home’. This comprised (in the main) New Zealanders working on Norfolk on short-term visas and a number from the Norfolk residents with New Zealand connections and family. 

One founder member, Rosie Saint brought a rich cultural background to Norfolk Island. Growing up in Auckland in a Cook Islander/New Zealand family, music and dance were integral parts of her upbringing. She developed her skills playing guitar and ukulele at school whilst simultaneously learning Cook Island and Maori dancing with friends and family. Reflecting on her childhood, Rosie recalled that "you went to school for the music as much as to study!"

Arriving on Norfolk Island around the same time as Rosie, Eunice Vercoe also grew up in a Maori family in New Zealand. Together with Rosie, she became instrumental in establishing and guiding Te Wa Kainga. Their shared cultural heritage and passion for preserving Maori traditions created a strong foundation for the group.

The development of Te Wa Kainga's performances wasn't simply a matter of replicating existing Maori traditions. Instead, as Norfolk Islander Jeanine Snell described, our "dance choreography evolved from our practice meetings." This organic, collaborative process involved members "putting different moves together from different tribes," creating something both authentic and unique to their particular circumstances on Norfolk Island.

This creative evolution extended beyond movement to encompass language and cultural interpretation. As a group comprising members from various Maori backgrounds, they encountered "different pronunciations of Maori words." Rather than declaring one version correct, they would "sit and talk and decide how to say things." Jeanine noted that "those talks were great in themselves," highlighting how the process of negotiating cultural expression was as valuable as the performances that resulted.

Creating authentic Maori performances on Norfolk Island presented significant practical challenges that required both determination and creative problem-solving. As Jeanine Snell explained, the group aspired to "put on good shows with the proper materials—which were difficult to get on Norfolk." This scarcity of traditional materials forced the group to develop ingenious solutions to maintain cultural authenticity despite limited resources.

One striking example of their resourcefulness was their approach to costume creation. Without access to proper materials or substantial funding, they resorted to "painting yards of material with textas [markers]" to achieve the desired visual effect. This labour-intensive process—creating elaborate costume pieces by hand with basic art supplies—demonstrates their extraordinary commitment to cultural presentation despite challenging circumstances.

Occasionally, the group found other solutions to their resource constraints. Jeanine recalled that "once we borrowed piu piu's [traditional Maori skirts made of flax strips] from my son's school in New Zealand." This creative sourcing of authentic materials required coordination with contacts back in New Zealand and careful transportation to Norfolk Island.

AUDIO>> As co-founder and leader of performances, Rob Ropati played a crucial role in shaping the group's public presence. His leadership during the 1981 Rawson Hall performance - is captured in the following audio recording -

This performance embodied the culmination of the group's efforts to create authentic cultural expressions despite the challenges of geographic isolation and limited resources. The audience at Rawson Hall that evening witnessed the fruits of countless practice sessions, creative problem-solving, and deep cultural knowledge shared among the group's members.

The story of Te Wa Kainga and the Rawson Hall performances offers valuable insights into how small, isolated communities can successfully preserve and celebrate diverse cultural traditions. Norfolk Island's experience demonstrates that cultural heritage thrives not through rigid preservation but through active engagement, creative adaptation, and community participation.

We look forward to welcoming you to the island!