Season 3, Episode 1
He Reo Tawhito
A conversation with Paraone Gloyne
Mōteatea is a centuries-old tradition of chanted song-poetry; a great literary and musical art form that expresses the powerful portrayal of storytelling and is reflective of the emotional depths of a Māori world view. Its vast richness is yet to be fully understood.
In these eleven episodes, over three series, hosted by Crystal Edwards, we hold conversations with some of the world’s leading experts on mōteatea and ask them: What does mōteatea mean to you? Traditionally, why were they composed, and how have they changed? Who are some key composers of mōteatea and how have they influenced your music?
‘He Reo Tawhito’ is available on all major platforms.
Click any of the links below to listen.
Please note: This podcast is spoken in te reo Māori & English
“Kimihia he huarahi hou, e ora mai ai ērā taonga tuku iho, kei moumou noaiho.” [Find a way that these treasures might live, lest they be wasted.]
Paraone Gloyne is an acclaimed composer, orator, and performing artist whose compositions are known for their witty play on words, their fearlessness in the face of contemporary issues, and their unique ability to pull at the heartstrings. As a Māori language advocate, Paraone is also well-known for pioneering the Mahuru Māori movement to promote and normalise the speaking of te reo Māori in daily life.
In He Reo Tawhito, a conversation about Mōteatea with Paraone Gloyne, Paraone describes how, to him, mōteatea brings to mind a special person—his Aunty Uru who nurtured him in te ao Māori, gently guiding him and imparting subtle lessons that he still carries with him today.
Paraone describes his time as a composer under the guidance of kapa haka stalwarts Ngapo and Pimia Wehi, and the potential that was seen in him to retain and re-tell kōrero tuku iho (oral tradition and stories of the past) from a young age.
We also step into the shoes of Paraone as a composer today as he describes the inspiration behind several of his compositions, and we see the tremendous skill that he possesses as a composer—particularly his amazing ability to weave timelines into his lyrics whilst taking the listener and performer on a journey through time, past and present.
We invite you to join Paraone Gloyne and our host Crystal Edwards for this bilingual (te reo Māori and English) conversation about mōteatea that will inspire you to learn, listen, compose, and contribute to the life of this profoundly rich art form.
Host: Crystal Edwards
Guest: Paraone Gloyne
Links & Resources
TE ORIORI O RAUKAWA – E onge āku e
Te Hau ki Tāmaki
Te Tekau mā Rua
Production team
Producers: Toni Huata & Roger Smith
Sound Engineer: Phil Brownlee
Research: Dr Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal
Production Assistance: Ngahuia Maniapoto, Jonathan Engle & Alpana Chovan
Marketing: Leoné Venter
Executive Producer: Diana Marsh
Special thanks to
Paraone Gloyne, Ngahuia Kopa and Te Manawapouhihiri for ‘E onga āku e’, performed by Paraone Gloyne and Ngahuia Kopa, released in 2022
Paraone Gloyne, Te Waka Huia and Māori Television for ‘Te Hau ki Tāmaki’, performed by Te Waka Huia, Te Matatini 2002
Paraone Gloyne, Mōtai Tangata Rau and Māori Television for ‘Te Tekau mā Rua’, performed by Mōtai Tangata Rau, Te Matatini 2015
Thanks to Adrian Wagner and Te Reo Irirangi o Te Upoko o te Ika 1161
Cover Art: Kennedy Kioa Toi Faimanifo of Manatoa Productions
This podcast is supported by funding from Toi Aotearoa | Creative New Zealand, Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori and Recorded Music New Zealand.
© Copyright Centre for New Zealand Music Trust
Host
Crystal Edwards
Hokahoka atu rā tēnei maioha ki a koutou katoa.
Crystal Edwards is a proud Ngāti Kahungunu woman who resides in the beautiful Hawkes Bay. She currently works for The Eastern Institute of Technology as an evening tutor, teaching Te Reo Māori over a range of classes.
From 2013 – 2020 Crystal worked as an iwi radio announcer and broadcaster for Radio Kahungunu. This role led her to Emcee work for Ngāti Kahungunu. She has hosted, emceed and entertained many events ranging from local community gatherings to national events such as Te Matatini Te Kahu o Te Amorangi 2017, The National Māori Music Awards and The National Māori Housing Conference 2020. She also coordinated an international Tā-Moko expenditure to Europe, travelling to six countries in 2018 with four Kahungunu Tā-Moko specialists.
“Ngāti Kahungunu has been the cornerstone to my success, and I am truly blessed to have built respect among my people. My network continues to grow, ranging from national to international contacts.”
Crystal’s latest accomplishment is being accepted as a member to Toast Masters International at the local branch in Hastings.
“I’ve always wanted to upskill in this area, simply because this is where I feel most comfortable and where my skills and talents lay.”
Crystal continues to be an emcee, host and public speaker, developing this talent by using Te Reo Māori as a vessel to showcase the events she is invited to.
Guest
Paraone Gloyne
Ngāti Raukawa ki Wharepūhunga, Ngāti Maniapoto
Paraone Gloyne is a prominent composer, orator and performing artist. Paraone, a graduate of Te Panekiretanga o Te Reo Māori, has long been dedicated to the revitalisation of te reo Māori and tikanga Māori. He has been involved in various initiatives at a tribal and national level. He is well-known for pioneering Mahuru Māori in 2014 to promote the speaking of te reo Māori in our daily lives. His efforts in this area saw him take home the Te Waitī Award for Te Reo and Tikanga at the annual Matariki Awards ceremony in 2018.
Paraone and his partner Ngahuia Kopa are the tutors and leaders of Mōtai-tangata-rau, a Ngāti Raukawa ki Uta based kapa haka that was established in 2005. The group made their debut at the Tainui Regional Competition in 2012 and went on to win the competition in 2014, securing a spot at the National Kapa Haka Competition, Te Matatini, in 2015. Mōtai-tangata-rau went on to make the top nine finalists at Te Matatini in 2017.
At the 2015 Te Matatini, Mōtai-tangata-rau were announced the winners of the trophy that recognises excellence in written and performed Māori language at the Festival, a testament of Paraone’s excellence in composition. Paraone’s composition style has been termed fun and creative. He is well known for his witty play on words, his fearlessness when it comes to challenging contemporary issues and his ability to pull at the heart strings of the audience through his selection and placement of words married with a suitable tune, beat or rhythm. Paraone is also a kapa haka judge and the current Tainui representative on the Te Matatini National Board.
Paraone finished with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa after working for them for 17 years however hosts a weekly Podcast along with others called Taringa through Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, which has a bilingual approach to discussing kupu, iwi stories and tikanga.
