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Ko te KÅauau: Its historical journey, aspects of construction, socio-cultural relevance, and performance
Abstract
In recent years there has been a revival of interest in traditional MÄori musical instruments, including the KÅauau (sometimes called a flute ). Most of the information on record is from PÄkehÄ perspectives of music and culture. This thesis studies KÅauau in a MÄori framework, giving weight to traditional MÄori knowledge and practices, while bringing together much scattered information. The research links the origins/whakapapa of the KÅauau to the gods and their natural world, especially Hineraukatauri. The thesis analyses the materials used for KÅauau, the circumstances under which materials were acquired, their significance, design and methods of construction, and the tools employed in making KÅauau. The study discusses techniques for playing KÅauau, including its range of sounds, occasions on which they were played, and for what purposes they were used. Reference is made to the story of Hinemoa and TÅ«tÄnekai, with the suggestion that more knowledge can be drawn from pakiwaitara and pÅ«rÄkau. As part of the research, several KÅauau available in the Auckland Museum were examined, showing that close inspection of these taonga significantly extended the information on them held by the Museum. Despite the constraints of the research in terms of time and other resources, the thesis makes an important contribution to knowledge, by collating widely distributed documentation into a concise form, by placing the KÅauau into a MÄori perspective, emphasizing the spiritual dimensions of the instrument in its origins and its function, and by indicating what kinds of further research will assist in strengthening the revival of the KÅauau.
Type
Thesis
Type of thesis
Series
Citation
Komene, J. (2008). Ko te KÅauau: Its historical journey, aspects of construction, socio-cultural relevance, and performance (Thesis, Master of Arts (MA)). University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10289/11641
Date
2008
Publisher
The University of Waikato
Degree
Supervisors
Rights
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All items in Research Commons are provided for private study and research purposes and are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated.
All items in Research Commons are provided for private study and research purposes and are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated.