Kōhine Ponika

Growing up in Ruātoki and Composing Songs

Kōhine Ponika was born in Ruātoki North, the daughter of Rev. Wharetini and Hinerotu Numia Rangi. She was educated at Ruātoki Native School and Hukarere Māori Girls’ College in Hawke’s Bay. Speaking of her early life Kōhine says:

“At this stage of my life singing hymns night and morning, school songs, school nursery rhymes with my own words part thrown in here and there, was the order of my days. Again I say this important stage of my upbringing played a major part in what I was going to do in later years. Singing was my every day thing.”

In this excerpt Kōhine talks about her early life in Ruātoki and composing waiata.

Collection reference 42498
Year 1993
Credits Interviewer: Puhi Rangiaho

Christianity and Ringatū

Kōhine Ponika talks about her early life and Christianity and the Ringatū faith in Ruātoki.

Collection reference 42498
Year 1993
Credits Interviewer: Puhi Rangiaho

Moving to Tūrangi

Kōhine lived with her husband Koti Hohia Ponika in Ruātoki where they raised a large family including several adopted children. They moved to Tūrangi when Koti transferred from the Te Mahoe Dam Project to the Tongariro Power Project in 1967.

In this excerpt Kohine explains their reasons for moving to Tūrangi.

Collection reference 42498
Year 1993
Credits Interviewer: Puhi Rangiaho

Composing and Singing

Pōnika is well known for her waiata compositions for which she won a number of awards. In 1966 her action song Tōia Mai Rā won a national award sponsored by the NZBC. She won an award in the NZBC Cook Bi-Centenary Celebration Competition for original Māori Songs and Lyrics in 1969. In the mid 1980s her poi Poi iti Poi e won first place at the national Kapa Haka Festival in Hastings. Two other action songs, Aku Mahi and Karangatā rā, pōhiritia rā, were written specifically for Ngāti Pōneke and became widely used throughout New Zealand.

In this excerpt Pōnika talks about and sings some of her compositions.

Collection reference 42498
Year 1993
Credits Interviewer: Puhi Rangiaho

More Songs

Kōhine wrote waiata in te reo Māori and English, poetry, autobiographical accounts, a Māori language reader Te Porete, and a regular diary. She founded the Hei Tiki Māori Youth Club in Tūrangi in 1969 and in the 1980s she travelled to the United States as a tutor of the culture groups accompanying the ground breaking exhibition, Te Māori.

This excerpt features more waiata sung and composed by Kōhine Pōnika.

Collection reference 42498
Year 1993
Credits Interviewer: Puhi Rangiaho