Prince Tui Teka


It’s an endearing moment in New Zealand television – in front of a live audience, Prince Tui Teka serenades his mother and mother-in-law, both clearly uncomfortable, with ‘Mum’, a saccharine ballad with inane lyrics.

Corny. Soppy. In almost anyone else’s hands, this would be open to ridicule, but there is something appealing about a 140kg rough-hewn Māori with crooked teeth displaying his sentimental side so openly.

Maori Battalion Trilogy
Tui Teka and wife Missy sing Tui’s hit 'E Ipo' after presenting Ngoi Pēwhairangi with the gold disc for writing the te reo lyrics, 1982
Photo credit: TVNZ
The Māori Volcanics, mid to late 1960s. From left: Gugi Waaka, Tui Teka, John (Gimmick) Cameron and Johnny Nelson, doing the 'Guitar Boogie' where they played each other's guitar as well as their own
Photo credit: Thanks to Rim D. Paul
Prince Tui Teka with The Maori Troubadours, Northern Australia, 1964
The 1970s drum score for Pokare Kare/ Hoki Mai/ Amen
Photo credit: Stephen O'Hoy collection
It's unknown if these handwritten lyrics are penned by Tui Teka but they come from the music used by his band in the 1970s
Photo credit: Stephen O'Hoy collection
Publicity portrait of Prince Tui Teka by an unknown photographer, 1972
Photo credit: Alexander Turnbull Library, EP-NZ Obits-Ta to Te-01
E Ipo
The famed Māori linguist and teacher Ngoi Pēwhairangi. Ngoi wrote the lyrics to two No.1 singles, The Patea Māori Club's Poi E and and Prince Tui Teka's E Ipo. She died in 1985.
Maori Troubadours - Shakin' In The Shaky Isle (1960)
The Māori Volcanics in Scotland - with Margery Mahora Peters, Nuki Waaka, John Nelson and Prince Tui Teka
The Māori Volcanics play Timaru
Photo credit: Johnny Tucker collection
Prince Tui Teka with The Māori Volcanics. Front row from left: Nuki Waaka, Gilbert Smith, Mahora Peters, Tui Teka (at rear), Hector Epae, John Nelson.
The Māori Volcanics doing their broken glass act, with Margery Mahora Peters, Nuki Waaka, John Nelson, Gilbert Smith and Prince Tui Teka
Prince Tui Teka in the mid 1970s
The third Ode album, from 1977
Prince Tui Teka, early 1970s
Photo credit: Photo by Malcolm Curson
Tui Teka's debut album for Ode, released in 1974
A late 1950s Australian EP - Tui Teka is in the centre
The original 1970s score for the bass part in When The Next Teardrop Falls
Photo credit: Stephen O'Hoy collection
Tui Teka's chart for bass in The Stripper
Photo credit: Stephen O'Hoy collection
The Māori Volcanics. From left to right: Nuki Waaka, Tui Teka, Mahora Peters, Hector Epae and Johnny Nelson, with John "Gimmick" Cameron at back.
Photo credit: Thanks to Rim D. Paul
The tenor sax part for Hoki Mai - one wonders who wrote the note about "Poor Curry Curry Arna", perhaps an Australian player? It has been corrected.
Photo credit: Stephen O'Hoy collection
1983 Variety Show (clip 1)
Prince Tui Teka in a publicity shot taken in 1983
The Māori Volcanics, with Tui Teka at rear. Front row, from left: Nuki Waaka, Gilbert Smith, Mahora Peters, Hector Epae, John Nelson.
The Maori Album (1976)
Labels:

Ode


RCA

Trivia:

The bands on many of the 1970s Ode recordings were some of the best in the land and included Quincy Conserve and Rocking Horse

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