Howard Morrison, at left, performs with the Quartet (from the cover of Te Ao Hou)

It’s a song that many throughout the world know. A song that was given to our local tongue by Howard Morrison when he sang ‘Whakaaria Mai’ for the Queen at a Royal Command Performance in 1981. It’s a song that today is in my mind, and perhaps in the minds of many, as we remember Sir Howard Morrison, who died in Rotorua today, 24 September 2009, aged 74.

Known as ‘The Sinatra of New Zealand’ and ‘Ol’ Brown Eyes’, he first came to prominence with the Howard Morrison Quartet in the 1950s and went on to establish himself as a successful solo performer. With a career spanning five decades, his influence extended beyond entertainment through work with the Department of Maori Affairs and concern about achievement among young Maori.

Accolades followed him throughout his life. He was recognised first in 1976, becoming a member of the Order of the British Empire, and again in 1990 when he received a knighthood. When, in 2007, Dr Ngahuia Te Awekotuku (then Chair of Te Waka Toi) presented Sir Howard with the Te Tohu Tiketike a Te Waka Toi, she characterised Morrison as ‘Not just a great artist and entertainer but an outstanding New Zealander.’

With the closing lines of ‘Whakaaria Mai’ we remember you.

Ki kona au
Titiro atu ai
Ora, mate
Hei ahau koe noho ai

There I will be
looking
In life, in death
let me rest in thee

———-

For more on Sir Howard Morrison…
• Biographies from NZHistory.net.nz and NZMusic.net.nz
• Television clips from NZOnScreen and their discussion forum
• The NZ Herald obituary
• The cover of Te Ao Hou from March 1962, feat. the Howard Morrison Quartet, and the full-text article

Cross-posted on Te Ara – Signposts

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 24th, 2009 at 5:45 pm and is filed under National identity. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.