Music

Hinetekakara

Works with taonga pūoro, Voice and instrumental ensemble, Collaborations

For kaikaranga, taonga pūoro and bassoon

Text by Aroha Yates-Smith

The first performance of Hinetekakara was given by Aroha Yates-Smith (kaikaranga), Richard Nunns (taonga pūoro), George Zukerman (bassoon) in Tamatekapua, the marae at Ohinemutu near Rotorua in March 2004.

About the work

Hinetekakara is an ancestress of Aroha Yates-Smith, whose own composition is embedded in mine. The interpretation of her chants is as follows:

  1. The singer invokes the spirit of her ancestress beside the rippling waters of Lake Rotorua.
  2. Tuhohomatakaka conducts the tapu-raising ceremony over Ihenga.
  3. Hinetekakara, participating in the ceremony, meets Ihenga and they fall in love.
  4. Hinetekakara’s lullaby welcoming her new-born son, Tuariki.
  5. Ihenga discovers the murdered body of Hinetekakara at the lake.
  6. The singer farewells her ancestress.

There are 3 other versions of this work, although this was the original.

Hinetekakara for kaikaranga, taonga pūoro and flutes

Hinetekakara for kaikaranga, taonga pūoro and ensemble

Hinetekakara for kaikaranga, taonga pūoro, flute, alto flute, and bassoon

About Hinetekakara

Many years ago, Hinetekakara lived with her husband (or father, according to some traditions) Ihenga on the edge of Lake Rotorua. Returning from a hunting trip, Ihenga discovered the body of his beloved Hinetekakara by the lake, murdered, and sang his mournful lament. The settlement at Ohinemutu is named for her (meaning ‘the end of the woman’).

Instrumentation

The taonga pūoro played in this piece are, in order:

  • pūtatara — conch shell trumpet
  • pūtōrino matai — wooden pūtorino
  • pūmotomoto — shakuhachi-like wooden flute
  • pūpūharakeke — flax snail
  • pūkaea — war trumpet, and
  • nguru rākau maire — wooden nose flute.

Score

Buy or borrow the score from SOUNZ.

Hinetekakara — SOUNZ