Poi E (album)

Poi E is an album released by New Zealand Māori music group the Pātea Māori Club. In 1984, the Māori language title track "Poi E" topped the New Zealand pop charts for four consecutive weeks, and was that year's biggest selling single - outselling all international recording artists. The album also produced three other charting singles in New Zealand (Aku Raukura, Hei Konei Rā, and E Papa) but did not chart itself until nearly three decades after its original release.

Poi E
Studio album by Pātea Māori Club
Released	1987
Recorded	April 1983-December 1987
Studio	Mascot (Auckland) Marmalade (Wellington)
Genre	Māori music, hip hop
Length	47:29
Label	WEA/Jayrem Records
Producer	Dalvanius Prime Dave Ginnane Dave Hurley Henare te Ua
Pātea Māori Club chronology
Music of the Maori (1976) Poi E (1987)
Singles from Poi E
"Poi E" Released: September 1983 "Aku Raukura" Released: June 1984 "Hei Konei Rā" Released: December 1984 "E Papa" Released: November 1985 "Ngoi Ngoi" Released: 1988

Dalvanius Prime, the album's producer and leader, was known for merging the styles of traditional Maori show bands and more recent Maori hip-hop.

Later, in the early 1990s, Poi E was produced as a Māori musical with additional songs, and in 2000, selections were performed in Sydney, at the Waitangi Day Concert.

Development

Poi E was recorded almost entirely at Mascot Studios in Auckland over a four-year period from April 1983 ("Poi E") to December 1987 ("He Tangata Tini Hanga," "Ngakau Maru," and "Parihaka - Tewhiti - Tohu - Tawhiao"). The only exception was "Ngoi Ngoi," recorded at Marmalade Studios in Wellington. Prime self-produced the album, financially supported by businesses in Pātea, after being rejected by record labels across New Zealand.

Many of the album's songs are collaborations between Prime and lyricist Ngoi Pēwhairangi. The two began a musical partnership in 1982 after a meeting at Pēwharaingi's Tokomaru Bay home that was initially intended to last a day or two but ultimately went on for weeks due to the pair's songwriting chemistry. "Ngoi Ngoi" - the opener of the second half of Poi E - is a tribute to Pēwhairangi written after her 1985 death, while the album's first side ("E Pa To Hau" to "Hei Konei Rā") traces the history of the iwi of Taranaki.

Track listing

Poi E – original release track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"E Pa To Hau"	Traditional	1:02
2.	"Ko Aotea"	Traditional	0:53
3.	"Taranaki Patere - Kahuri"	Traditional	2:59
4.	"Parihaka - Tewhiti - Tohu - Tawhiao"	Dalvanius Prime	4:13
5.	"Nga Ohaki"	Prime Ngoi Pēwhairangi	2:21
6.	"Ngakau Maru"	Prime N. Pēwhairangi	2:59
7.	"Hei Konei Rā"	Prime N. Pēwhairangi	3:13
8.	"Ngoi Ngoi"	Prime Lee Fox Martha Fox Tui Fox Ada Haige Ngaro Herewini Ara Kopua Wikitoria Matahiki Taite Pēwhairangi Noel Raihania	4:25
9.	"He Tangata Tini Hanga"	Prime N. Pēwhairangi	2:28
10.	"E Papa Waiari"	Traditional	4:15
11.	"Aku Raukura"	Prime N. Pēwhairangi	4:01
12.	"Poi E"	Prime N. Pēwhairangi	3:51

Poi E – reissue bonus tracks

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
13.	"Haeremai"	Tuini Ngāwai	2:52
14.	"Kua Makona"	Prime Ngamaru Raerino	2:51
15.	"Paikea"	T. Pēwhairangi	2:19
16.	"Anei Ra Overture & Aria"	Prime Raerino	5:27

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Poi E.

Musicians

• Brent Black Music Co-Op – arrangements (10)
• Ruka Broughton – vocals (4)
• Gary Byrd – vocals (8)
• Greg Carroll – beach recordings (1), rākau (10), poi piu percussion (12)
• Waimarie Cassidy – poi piu percussion (12)
• Annie Crummer – vocals (8)
• Huia Davis – poi piu percussion (12)
• Willie Dayson – slide guitar (10)
• Fred Faleauto – rākau (10), timbales (12)
• Dale Ferris – vocals (8)
• Victor Grbic – rākau (10)
• Hoani Heremaia – vocals (4)
• Dave Hurley – arrangements (2, 3)
• Gordon Joll – Drumulator (5, 11), drums (7)
• Maggie Kahu – lead vocals (2, 3, 12), poi piu percussion (12)
• Steve 'Foot' Kanuta – rākau (10)
• Wiremu Karaitiana – Emulator II synthesizer (4, 6, 9, 10), arrangements (9, 10)
• Dilworth Karaka – guitar (6, 10)
• Carl Levy – arrangements (10)
• Hohepa Malcolm – kōauau (1)
• Moana Maniapoto – vocals (8)
• Pātea Māori Club – haka (4)
• Bill Millett – rākau (10)
• Les Palmer – arrangements (10)
• Dave Parsons – arrangements, Drumulator (8)
• Stuart Pearce – arrangements, keyboards (5-7, 9-12)

• Kara Pēwhairangi – vocals (8)
• Dalvanius Prime – arrangements (1-12), lead vocals (7)
• Haami Prime – lead vocals (5)
• Miri Prime – poi piu percussion (12)
• Pauline Prime – poi piu percussion (12)
• Timothy Prime – lead vocals (11)
• Tama Renata – arrangements, guitar (11, 12), Syndrum (12)
• Alastair Riddell – Drumulator (12)
• Aunty Lil Rongonui – karanga (5)
• Don Selwyn – narration (2, 3)
• Clarence Smith – kōauau (4)
• Ropata Smith – keyboards (4, 8), arrangements (8)
• Henare te Ua – arrangements (1, 4)
• Rob Winch – arrangements, guitar (8)
• Adele Yandall – vocals (7)
• Mary Yandall – vocals (7)
• Pauline Yandall – vocals (7)

Technical

• Dave Ginnane – engineering, mixing, production (8)
• Victor Grbic – mixing (10)
• Dave Hurley – production (2, 3, 5-7, 10, 12), engineering (5-7, 10, 12)
• John Jones – engineering (1)
• Dalvanius Prime – production (1-12)
• Henare te Ua – recording (1), production (1, 4)
• Phil Yule – recording (10)

Charts

Chart (2016)	Peak position
New Zealand Aotearoa Albums (RMNZ)	8

External links

• Original music video for the title track "Poi E"
• nzhistory.net.nz entry and video
• Interview with Syd and Hui Kahu from Patea Maori Club Info and audio
• Original artwork for album cover in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa