Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Announcing death while I am in the garden

Today I learned in the garden that Hone Tuwhare had died. Last week it was Sir Edmund Hilary. Both were in their eighties and both were legends in their own way. But legends die too. And when they do, who follows in their footsteps? This meant that I got to listen to lots of cool tribute Tuwhare music. My favourite being Don McGlashans version of Rain.
As the National Radio announcer said Hone Tuwhare was lots of things to different people. For me, what I remember most is him coming to Wainuiomata College when I was in Moana Jackson's class in the fifth form. I now get the connection but didn't at the time. For each of those men words are powerful because they use them wisely, each in their different ways.
I think at the time it was some poets in schools thing. So, Hone Tuwhare was the first real life poet I saw perform. He was funny. He was an entertainer. He was real. Sam Hunt followed and he too was great.
I've seen them both perform in recent years, and enjoyed their ability to perform. But those first performances I saw will always hold something special in my memory.

2 comments:

strong light said...

Don's version of Rain is one of my favourites also! I saw him perform it once (actually it was in the Tuwhare show) and it remins one of my favourite live performances.

Homeperm said...

he came to my school too! and performed rain and it was freakin' awesome. i already loved that poem, but his reading and HILARIOUS stories made it seem even cooler.

he was an awesome dude.