(1949-2003)
Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu
Purea nei e te hau, horoia e te ua, whitiwhitia e te rā
Hirini Sydney Melbourne ONZM was one of the most prolific and influential Māori composers of his time. Born in 1949 and raised in the Ruatoki valley, Hirini was widely known as a musician but also highly regarded as an educator, researcher, and exponent of te reo Māori, culture, and history.
Hirini began his career in composition with songs in te reo for young children, which told compelling stories about Te Tai Ao, and became a rich resource used for educational purposes in schools across Aotearoa. Hirini was also central to the revival of taonga pūoro, developing and sharing rare knowledge about the whakapapa and kōrero about the family of Māori musical instruments. The landmark 1994 album, ‘Te Kū Te Whē,’ was the culmination of a journey shared with fellow musician and ethnomusicologist, Richard Nunns, and carver, Brian Flintoff, featuring original compositions and innovative instrumentation.
Richard Nunns and Hirini Melbourne on recording Te Ku Te Whe. Video courtesy of Rattle
The first Chairperson of Pūatatangi, the national Māori Music Committee, Hirini lead the creation of a nurturing space for current and emerging Māori talent working across the spectrum of Māori music. As part of Toi Māori Aotearoa, Hirini proposed an initiative to enable aspiring and established Māori musicians to wānanga and perform, strengthening the Māori music industry and embracing the natural musical talents of rangatahi. Pao! Pao! Pao! was first staged at Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato in 2002, where Hirini was a long-serving senior lecturer and
Associate Professor, to become a significant biennial showcase celebrating Māori music and a key milestone in the development of the next generation of Māori musicians.
Pūatatangi Committee Meeting, Auckland, early 1990s
The contribution of Hirini Melbourne to the revitalisation of te reo Māori and promotion of Māori culture has continued to grow beyond his lifetime with many of his compositions adopted as anthems for Māori and Pākehā alike. The 2007 remix, ‘Te Whaiao: Te Kū Te Whē’ won the Tui Award for Best Māori Album at the New Zealand Music Awards. With Richard Nunns, Hirini was inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame in 2009 and awarded a joint Lifetime Contribution to Māori Music Award at the 2012 Waiata Māori Music Awards.
Puatatangi Hui Moteatea 1998, Waikato University
Hirini Melbourne was and continues to be a prominent, respected and missed figurehead for Toi Māori Aotearoa, having left an incredible legacy for current and emerging musicians of tāonga pūoro, a treasure trove of waiata masterpieces for future composers, poets and creative writers of te reo Māori.
E mapu roa mōteatea tonu nei mōu e koro Hirini,
“Te Pūtorino a Raukatauri
Iri piri runga peka e
Kei roto ko te puhi o te tangi
Korowhitawhita e
Te tangi hotuhotu, mokemoke
mō te tau kua rere e”
