Ngoi Pewhairangi
Encyclopedia
Ngoi Pēwhairangi—in full, Te Kumeroa Ngoingoi Pēwhairangi, was a prominent teacher of, and advocate for, Māori language
and culture, and the composer of many songs. She spearheaded the Māori Renaissance
in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
She was born Te Kumeroa Ngoingoi Ngāwai on 29 December 1921 at Tokomaru Bay
, on New Zealand
's East Coast, the eldest of five children of Hori Ngāwai, a labourer and minister in the Ringatū
faith from the Te Whānau-a-Ruataupare hapū
of the Ngāti Porou
iwi
of Tokomaru Bay, and his wife Wikitoria Te Karu of Ngāti Koi in the Hauraki
region.
Ngoi was a niece of Tuini Ngāwai
, another prominent composer and promoter of the language and culture. In the early 1940s, Ngoi travelled around New Zealand in a fundraising drive for the war effort with the Hokowhitu-ā-Tū Concert Party. Her aunt, who founded the group, trained her in kapa haka
performance and groomed her for leadership. She continued her involvement after the war.
In 1945 she married Rikirangi Ben Pēwhairangi of Tokomaru Bay. The only child of the marriage was a son, Terewai Pēwhairangi, but they fostered many other children.
Ngoi taught Māori language and tutored the Māori club at Gisborne Girls' High School
for three years from 1973. In 1974 she also began teaching a course of Māori studies in Gisborne
for the University of Waikato
. In 1977, Kara Puketapu, the new secretary of the Department of Māori Affairs called on her assistance in setting up Tū Tangata, a scheme that targeted at-risk Māori youth in the cities, and attempted to connect them with their iwi
. She continued working for the Department as an adviser, and was involved in the preliminary consultations that led to the establishment of the kōhanga reo
movement, which saw children receiving their schooling in Māori.
From 1978 on, she was an adviser to the National Council of Adult Education. In this capacity she promoted Māori language and culture around the country, especially in rural areas. She was the co-founder, with Katerina Mataira
, of the highly acclaimed Te Ataarangi programme of teaching Māori, which was the basis of a TV programme and a series of books, Te reo (1985).
Among Pākehā
who have heard of her, she is best known as the composer of the poi
song Poi E
, which topped New Zealand charts in 1984 in a recording by Dalvanius Prime
and the Patea Māori Club, and sold 15,000 copies.
Among Māori she is revered for her unflagging efforts to revive the language and the culture and for her work to ensure their central place in the hearts and lives of Māori and Pākehā alike.
She died in Tokomaru Bay on January 29, 1985. Her tangihanga
(funeral) was held at Pākirikiri Marae. A waiata tangi (lament) composed for her by Dr Timoti Karetu was for a number of years the signature piece of the kapa haka group of the Te Tumu School of Māori, Pacific and Indigenous Studies at the University of Otago
.
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
and culture, and the composer of many songs. She spearheaded the Māori Renaissance
Maori Renaissance
The term Māori Renaissance refers to the revival in fortunes of the Māori of New Zealand in the latter half of the twentieth century. During this period, the perception of Māori went from being that of a dying race to being politically, culturally artistically and artistically ascendant.The...
in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
She was born Te Kumeroa Ngoingoi Ngāwai on 29 December 1921 at Tokomaru Bay
Tokomaru Bay
Tokomaru Bay is a small, idyllic beachside community located on the isolated East Coast of New Zealand’s North Island. It is 91 km north of Gisborne, on State Highway 35, and close to Mount Hikurangi. The district was originally known as Toka-a-Namu, which refers to the abundance of sandflies...
, on New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's East Coast, the eldest of five children of Hori Ngāwai, a labourer and minister in the Ringatū
Ringatu
The Ringatū church was founded in 1868 by Te Kooti Rikirangi. The symbol for the movement is an upraised hand, or "Ringa Tū" in Māori.Te Kooti was one of a number of Māori detained at the Chatham Islands without trial in relation to the East Coast disturbances of the 1860s...
faith from the Te Whānau-a-Ruataupare hapū
Hapu
A hapū is sometimes described as "the basic political unit within Maori society".A named division of a Māori iwi , membership is determined by genealogical descent; a hapū is made up of a number of whānau groups. Generally hapū range in size from 150-200 although there is no upper limit...
of the Ngāti Porou
Ngati Porou
Ngāti Porou is a Māori iwi traditionally located in the East Cape and Gisborne regions of the North Island of New Zealand. Ngāti Porou has the second-largest affiliation of any iwi in New Zealand, with 71,910 registered members in 2006...
iwi
Iwi
In New Zealand society, iwi form the largest everyday social units in Māori culture. The word iwi means "'peoples' or 'nations'. In "the work of European writers which treat iwi and hapū as parts of a hierarchical structure", it has been used to mean "tribe" , or confederation of tribes,...
of Tokomaru Bay, and his wife Wikitoria Te Karu of Ngāti Koi in the Hauraki
Hauraki
Hauraki is a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. It is under the local governance of the North Shore City Council.The population was 5,631 in the 2006 Census, an increase of 261 from 2001.-Education:...
region.
Ngoi was a niece of Tuini Ngāwai
Tuini Ngawai
Tuini Moetu Haangu Ngawai was a well-known Māori songwriter, teacher, shearer and cultural adviser. Her iwi is Ngati Porou and her hapu is Te Whanau a Ruataupare. Born at Tokomaru Bay, her twin sister died in infancy, and Moetu was given the name Tuini, a transliteration of twin...
, another prominent composer and promoter of the language and culture. In the early 1940s, Ngoi travelled around New Zealand in a fundraising drive for the war effort with the Hokowhitu-ā-Tū Concert Party. Her aunt, who founded the group, trained her in kapa haka
Kapa haka
The term Kapa haka is commonly known in Aotearoa as 'Maori Performing Arts' or the 'cultural dance' of Maori people...
performance and groomed her for leadership. She continued her involvement after the war.
In 1945 she married Rikirangi Ben Pēwhairangi of Tokomaru Bay. The only child of the marriage was a son, Terewai Pēwhairangi, but they fostered many other children.
Ngoi taught Māori language and tutored the Māori club at Gisborne Girls' High School
Gisborne Girls' High School
Gisborne Girls High School is a girls' secondary school situated in Gisborne, Tairāwhiti, New Zealand. It was founded in 1956 when Gisborne High School was split into two single-sex schools.-History:...
for three years from 1973. In 1974 she also began teaching a course of Māori studies in Gisborne
Gisborne, New Zealand
-Economy:The harbour was host to many ships in the past and had developed as a river port to provide a more secure location for shipping compared with the open roadstead of Poverty Bay which can be exposed to southerly swells. A meat works was sited beside the harbour and meat and wool was shipped...
for the University of Waikato
University of Waikato
The University of Waikato is located in Hamilton and Tauranga, New Zealand, and was established in 1964. It has strengths across a broad range of subject areas, particularly its degrees in Computer Science and in Management...
. In 1977, Kara Puketapu, the new secretary of the Department of Māori Affairs called on her assistance in setting up Tū Tangata, a scheme that targeted at-risk Māori youth in the cities, and attempted to connect them with their iwi
Iwi
In New Zealand society, iwi form the largest everyday social units in Māori culture. The word iwi means "'peoples' or 'nations'. In "the work of European writers which treat iwi and hapū as parts of a hierarchical structure", it has been used to mean "tribe" , or confederation of tribes,...
. She continued working for the Department as an adviser, and was involved in the preliminary consultations that led to the establishment of the kōhanga reo
Kohanga reo
The Māori language revival is a movement to promote, reinforce and strengthen the speaking of the Māori language. Primarily in New Zealand, but also in centres with large numbers of New Zealand migrants , the movement aims to increase the use of Māori in the home, in education, government and...
movement, which saw children receiving their schooling in Māori.
From 1978 on, she was an adviser to the National Council of Adult Education. In this capacity she promoted Māori language and culture around the country, especially in rural areas. She was the co-founder, with Katerina Mataira
Katerina Mataira
Dame Katerina Te Heikoko Mataira, DNZM was a New Zealander Māori language proponent, educator, intellectual, artist and writer...
, of the highly acclaimed Te Ataarangi programme of teaching Māori, which was the basis of a TV programme and a series of books, Te reo (1985).
Among Pākehā
Pakeha
Pākehā is a Māori language word for New Zealanders who are "of European descent". They are mostly descended from British and to a lesser extent Irish settlers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, although some Pākehā have Dutch, Scandinavian, German, Yugoslav or other ancestry...
who have heard of her, she is best known as the composer of the poi
Poi
Poi may refer to:* Poi , a 2006 Tamil film* Poi , the Polynesian staple food* Poi , a Māori dance from New Zealand* Poi, Pakistan, a town in the Balochistan province of Pakistan* Poi, the Tibetan name for Tibet...
song Poi E
Poi E
"Poi E" is a New Zealand 1984 number-one hit song by the group Patea Māori Club off the album of the same name. Its popularity is unique in New Zealand as Māori music rarely reaches popular status...
, which topped New Zealand charts in 1984 in a recording by Dalvanius Prime
Dalvanius Prime
Maui Dalvanius Prime was a New Zealand entertainer and songwriter. His career spanned 30 years. He mentored many of New Zealand's Māori performers, and was a vocal and forthright supporter of Māori culture.-Early life:...
and the Patea Māori Club, and sold 15,000 copies.
Among Māori she is revered for her unflagging efforts to revive the language and the culture and for her work to ensure their central place in the hearts and lives of Māori and Pākehā alike.
She died in Tokomaru Bay on January 29, 1985. Her tangihanga
Tangihanga
Tangihanga, or more commonly, Tangi, is a Māori funeral rite.Each iwi differs on how they honour those who pass. Tangihanga generally take three days with burial on the third day. From the moment of death, the tūpāpaku is rarely alone. The tūpāpaku is transported to the marae...
(funeral) was held at Pākirikiri Marae. A waiata tangi (lament) composed for her by Dr Timoti Karetu was for a number of years the signature piece of the kapa haka group of the Te Tumu School of Māori, Pacific and Indigenous Studies at the University of Otago
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
.