New Zealand Music: Dalvanius Prime (1948 – 2002) -

By Emma Philpott, Content and Resource Adviser, National Services Te Paerangi, Te Papa

An icon of music in Aotearoa, Dalvanius Prime (Tainui, Ngāpuhi, Ngati Ruanui, Tuwharetoa, Ngā Rauru, Pakakohi and Ngāi Tahu) spent a career championing Māori culture, mentoring performers and promoting reo Māori.

Prime is most well known for his role in producing Poi E by the Pātea Māori Club, releasing the song on his Maui Records label in 1984. Poi E was the first totally reo Māori song to ever hold the number 1 position in the New Zealand music charts. The song, written in collaboration between Prime and Linguist Ngoi Pewhairangi, changed the face of New Zealand music.

A fedora hat, cassette tape, record company artwork and a handful of photographs with connection to Prime’s life and legacy are highlighted in this kete | set.

Sources:

Dalvanius Prime on Audioculture: https://audioculture.co.nz/profile/dalvanius

‘Poi E’ by the Patea Maori Club - https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/video/poi-e