He Nawe Kei Roto

Album: Maori Songs (1930)

Songfacts®:

  • Although Bic Runga is unquestionably the world's most famous Maori songwriter, she was by no means the first. The bilingual and multi-disciplined Tuini Moetu Haangu Ngawai (1910-1965) appears to have co-written her first song at the age of fourteen, with her mother. She began her songwriting career in earnest in 1931. "He Nawe Kei Roto" is said by the Dictionary Of New Zealand Biography to be her first surviving song, and may have been written as early as 1930 but certainly no later than 1933; unlike many of her songs it has an original melody.

    It is also the song that established her in this field after it was performed at a special ceremony in January 1934. It is a conversation piece between two lovers. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Oliver Leiber

Oliver LeiberSongwriter Interviews

Oliver Leiber talks about writing and producing hits for Paula Abdul, and explains his complicated relationship with his father, the songwriter Jerry Leiber.

Harry Shearer

Harry ShearerSongwriter Interviews

Harry is Derek Smalls in Spinal Tap, Mark Shubb in The Folksmen, and Mr. Burns on The Simpsons.

Don Dokken

Don DokkenSongwriter Interviews

Dokken frontman Don Dokken explains what broke up the band at the height of their success in the late '80s, and talks about the botched surgery that paralyzed his right arm.

Gene Simmons of Kiss

Gene Simmons of KissSongwriter Interviews

The Kiss rocker covers a lot of ground in this interview, including why there are no Kiss collaborations, and why the Rock Hall has "become a sham."

Meshell Ndegeocello

Meshell NdegeocelloSongwriter Interviews

Meshell Ndegeocello talks about recording "Wild Night" with John Mellencamp, and explains why she shied away from the spotlight.