Nā roto atu o te pukapuka nei, kua tikina atu ngā ringa rehe o Hirini Melbourne hei hanga anō i ngā taonga pūoro e whakahau ana i ngā reo o ngā atua kia waiata mai anō. Kua roa e hāngū ana nā reira, ko te kauwaka tēnei hei whakatangi anō i a rātou kia unuhia ai te kura huna.

Through this book, the skilled hands of Hirini Melbourne are being utilised to create taonga pūoro and thus are prevailing on the gods to sing once more. They have long been silent, and this book is the medium whereby the gods are invited to make their voices enchant the listeners and to release their unique treasures to inspire people

- Wharehuia Milroy

Dr Hirini Melbourne with his pūkāea **Tamanui**. Photo: University of Waikato

The Haumanu logo depicts a kōkako being drawn to the sound of a nguru.

Haumanu is a loose-knit group of dedicated Māori music players and instrument makers which developed under the leadership of well-known composer and player, the late Dr Hirini Melbourne (1950-2003). Hirini’s interest in traditional instruments had initially been stirred by looking at old examples lying silent in their museum cases. He mused sadly on their loneliness. What were the sounds they created? What stories were told about them? And would their music be heard by the coming generations? He set about finding the answers to these questions and subsequently drew together a number of people who were already working on their revival, and others who also wished these treasures would sing again and were prepared to do something about it.

Haumanu had its beginnings at an informal weekend near the top of Pikikiruna on Takaka Hill, near Nelson. When Hirini and I travelled there initially to dedicate a pūtōrino carved from a 35,000-year-old tōtara tree it was early in the day and mist wafted from the mysterious holes scattered throughout the vast expanses of warming marble. He began playing softly, slowly building momentum, and as he played the sound filled the still air above us. Soon the echoes were circling over us and in that magic moment it was as if we were inside a crystal glass singing to the finger’s touch. We called that great marble rock nestled in bush Ōhaka Tapu, the Sacred Nest. Several members of the group have returned at other times to film and record at this special place and at the same time we have revived our energies in its special aura.
The name Haumanu can be literally translated as ‘breath of birds’ and was chosen because of the importance of bird songs in the traditions of the music. The word also means revival and this is the aim of the group. The Haumanu logo depicts our greatest songbird, the kōkako, being attracted by the sound of a flute.

The nucleus of Haumanu combined the complementary skills of Hirini, as a musician and composer, with an established status in both Māori and academic circles; Richard Nunns, as an accomplished flute player and multiskilled presenter; and myself as a craftsperson to make replicas of those treasures held safe in the museums. From a hui initiated in 1991 Hirini also drew together such people as Mauri Tirikātene, Rangiiria Hedley, Tūpari Te Whata, Clem Mellish, Ranginui Keefe and Tēpora Kūpenga, John Collins, Te Wārena Taua and Rewi Spragon, all with different areas of expertise but whose intention was to create a human resource that would foster the revival of the instruments. From these initial beginnings the Haumanu ‘flock’ began to increase over time and those who have joined the ranks are Te Aue Davis, Joe Malcolm, Hemi te Wano, Rangi Kipa, Bernard Makaore, Pōtaka Taite, Aroha Yates-Smith, Warren Warbrick, Moana Maniapoto, Horomona Horo, Robin Slow, James Rickard and James Webster.

Many demonstrations and workshops have been conducted, mostly on marae throughout the country. A collection of instruments constructed at one of the workshops or hui of instrument makers held at Otātara in 1995 was lodged at Te Papa for future students to have access to. Ngāwara Gordon at the Hei Tiki Gallery in Rotorua has continued the momentum of these hui for makers and players.

Richard Nunns has collated the results of the comprehensive research he and Hirini undertook with elders and other informants over many years, and has compiled this into a major work for which Hirini had begun a parallel Māori version. This is still in production. Richard’s readiness to journey out to my workshop with new information to guide my reconstructions, and also to test play the many modifications and variations, is still a vital element in the success of our work.

For several years Hirini, Richard and I have been working towards a smaller publication to supplement our verbal and musical presentations. We wished to provide a reference for those who wanted to continue their interest in both playing and making Taonga Pūoro, these Singing Treasures. Late in 2002, after Hirini was diagnosed with cancer, he gave me the task of compiling this small, long-planned book, saying with his ever-present chuckle, ‘I’ve got a great idea. And the best thing is I just do the idea bit and you do all the work.’ This of course makes light of his years of devotion to the journey that brought us to the place where a coherent narrative is possible. This book summarises historical observations and contemporary research by Hirini, Richard, myself and others, and includes translations of Hirini’s writings and oral communications. In most cases topics are complemented with some of his songs and, where possible, his own brief interpretations of them. Fortunately Hirini and I were able to complete the outline and share most of the content before he left us. Taonga Pūoro, Singing Treasures is therefore presented as a tribute to Hirini.

The readiness of a great number of people to freely provide assistance has been a heart-warming tribute to Hirini’s standing and I am very appreciative of it all, especially the inspirational photographs taken by Terry O’Connor who passed away just before this book went to print. I note with gratitude the special contributions of Professor Wharehuia Milroy, Jan Melbourne, Pania Melbourne, Rangiiria Hedley, Richard Nunns, Derek Lardelli, Aroha Yates-Smith, Kiri Bramley, Dr Amiria Henare, Maureen Lander, Awhina Tamarapa and the others at Te Papa, Alan Thomas, Michael Keith, Keith Hill and Tim Gummer at Rattle Records, Jo Paku, Cherie and John Woffindin, Maggie Atkinson, Bob Bickerton, Robbie Burton and the team at Craig Potton Publishing who have turned the concept into a reality, and my wife Julia, for her support and encouragement.

A third dimension has been added to the words and pictures of this book with the inclusion of a sampler CD of Máori music. This has been made possible by the support of the recording companies and the musicians who have kindly given permission to use extracts from their compilations, all of which are highly recommended. It adds the sounds that were absent when Hirini looked into those silent museum cases. A multi-dimensional look at the taonga is available on the DVD that accompanies the CD Te Hekenga ā Rangi.

Hirini wished primarily to share this knowledge with his people of Ngai Tūhoe and other Māori, but he also recognised a similarity of human spirit in others and wanted everyone to respectfully share the gifts of his ancestors.

On their way to Ōhaka Tapu are Haumanu members Brian Flintoff, Richard Nunns and Clem Mellish on the left, with Hirini Melbourne on the right and the crew of Rangiātea Films in the centre. Photo: Julia Flintoff

Note: Hirini’s wonderful songs, which appear throughout the book, have also been recorded, sometimes on more than one CD. Hirini was creative and seldom sang his songs the same way each time he recorded them, and was also happy to reuse his material. The symbols at the end of each song show which CD or CDs contain recordings of that song. Full details of the CDs are given in the references at the end of the book.

* Hirini Melbourne, Te Wharekura 41, Learning Media Ltd, Wellington, 1994.
@ Hirini Melbourne, Toiapiapi (book and accompanying tape), Shearwater Associates Ltd, Wellington, 1991.
+ Hirini Melbourne & Richard Nunns, Te Kú Te Whe (CD with notes), Rattle RAT-D004, 1994.
# Hirini Melbourne, Te Kuraroa, Kia Ata Mai Educational Trust, 1998.
^ Hirini Melbourne, Richard Nunns & Aroha Yates-Smith, Te Hekenga á Rangi (CD and DVD), Rattle RAT DV010, 2003.

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