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| Deane Waretini and Ana Hato, Thermal Studios Rotorua portrait Source: Rotorua Maori Choir Souvenir Programme. Town Hall, Tauranga, Friday, October 18, 1929 Rotorua Museum Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa. |
In 1927 Hato and Waretini performed at a reception for the Duke and Duchess of York at Ohinemutu. This performance was recorded by staff from the Australian branch of Parlophone Records. This recording was released on a shellac 78rpm disc making it the first Māori recording to be released commercially.
Hato and Waretini were later invited to Sydney, Australia in 1929 to record more waiata for Parlophone Records. Together they recorded 14 records of traditional and contemporary Māori music.
Hato and Waretini's recordings found an new audience when they were reissued on CD in 1996.
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| Advertisement, NZ Herald, 27 May 1927, p. 7. Papers Past. |
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| Advertisement, NZ Herald, 2 May 1931, p. 17. Papers Past. |
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| Parlophone record (reissue) - The Great Songs of Ana Hata and Deane Waretini |
Ana Matawhaura Hato was born in 1906. Her father was of Ngāti Whakaue descent and her mother of Tuhorangi descent. Hato died in Rotorua on December 8, 1953, aged 47, and is buried at Whakarewarewa.
Deane Waretini Snr, was Hato's first cousin (her mother was his father's sister). Waretini died on 13 December 1962, aged 62.
This blog post was written by Graeme. Special thanks to Don Stafford collection, Papers Past.
