MIKE Teissier introduces Reo Papara
TAHITIAN singers visiting Te Kūiti last week performed a new song for the first time – written in honour of the audience and their tupuna, Hoturoa.
Held at Te Kūiti High School, the performance was attended mainly by primary-aged students with some older students in kaupapa Māori education also present.
“Reo Papara” consisted of 51 singers – 47 adults and four children – and the word for their art form is “Heiva” – analogous to kapa haka. They sing sitting down, with women in the centre and men behind.
Group member Danny Ueva said they recently won the highest prize in a competition for pupu himene (hymns) at home in Tahiti.
And that is what inspired them to take their music further afield.
“We have to go to the Pasifika festival,” they decided.
The Te Kūiti visit was an addition to that journey to Auckland.
Spokesman Mike Teissier described it as an honour to perform for the iwi of this area.
“When we decided to come to Te Kūiti and Waitomo, we decided to write a song to fix [acknowledge] our coming here.
“When we wrote the song, we used special words from here – words that we don’t use any more in Tahiti.
He said it was “a real pleasure to see everybody.”
“We were very happy to fix this connection with Tainui, with the descendants of Hoturoa, because we know he is from Paparā.
“We didn’t forget this warrior, this chief, this captain.”
Their one-hour set combined traditional music with modern Polynesian and European items.
“We prepared five different traditional songs. But today, we tried to make more than five songs. That’s why we put traditional and also normal ones with guitar,” Mike said.
A day earlier, a pōwhiri was held at Tokikapu Marae, followed by an intimate performance by the group at Waitomo Caves.
“It was a privilege for all of us, all the group from Paparā, to sing these traditional songs inside the caves,” Mike said.
“After the tourists left, they let us not just visit but sing inside, only for this occasion. We hoped that the owners would enjoy it – because this is a gift not only for the enjoyment of the ngāti but all the Māori people.”
The group found New Zealand somewhat chilly compared to their Pacific home – especially when they visited Rotorua and Te Kūiti, Mike said.
He already knew about the Rotorua climate, because he had spent two years there, studying carving.
