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Dalvanius Prime
Birth nameMaui Carlyle (Kararai) Paraima
Born(1948-01-16)16 January 1948
Patea, New Zealand
OriginTaranaki, New Zealand
Died3 October 2002(2002-10-03) (aged 54)
Hāwera, New Zealand
Years active1975–2002

Maui Dalvanius Prime (16 January 1948 – 3 October 2002) was a New Zealand entertainer and songwriter. His career spanned 30 years. He mentored many of New Zealand's Māori performers, and was a vocal and forthright supporter of Māori culture.

Early life

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Born and raised in Patea, Prime was of Tainui, Ngāpuhi, Ngati Ruanui, Tuwharetoa, Ngā Rauru, Pakakohi and Ngāi Tahu descent. The sixth of 11 children, Prime grew up in a musical household. He attended the Church College of New Zealand located in Temple View, Hamilton during his high school years.

Career

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In the late 1960s, Prime moved to Wellington and worked as a cook by day and musician at night. His involvement with the Shevelles, a Māori female vocal trio from Porirua, lead to several trips to Australia.

In 1970, Prime travelled to Australia and performed at the opening of the Sydney Opera House. The dismissal of Australia's Prime Minister Gough Whitlam in 1975 inspired the song Canberra, We're Watching You, a cover of Washington, We're Watching You by the Staple Singers with lyrics adapted to the situation.[1]

In 1983 he formed his own production company, Maui Records. And he became increasingly involved with Māori music. In 1984, Prime recorded Poi E with the Pātea Māori Club.[2] The album was very popular in New Zealand, attaining platinum certification.

He appeared in the film Te Rua in 1990 and sang the theme song "Chudka Pā Poy", which is about apartheid.

He also worked closely with Ngoi Pēwhairangi, who helped develop Te Kohanga Reo, Māori language pre-school system. He provided the music for many of her lyrics.

Advocacy

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Later, Prime became a campaigner for the return of mokomokai (preserved, tattooed human heads) from overseas museums.

Prime was an advocate for young people involved in court cases and victims of domestic violence.

At the 1999 general election, Prime stood for the Piri Wiri Tua Movement in the Te Tai Hauāuru electorate, placing seventh.[3] During the campaign he endorsed Ken Mair who was running for the affiliated Mana Māori Movement.[4]

Death

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Prime died in 2002 in Hāwera after a long battle with cancer. He was buried in his family urupa at Nukumaru, South Taranaki, New Zealand.

Discography

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Albums

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Title Album details Peak chart positions
NZ
[5]
Poi E
(among Pātea Māori Club) 		—[A]
A Man of Passion
  • Released: 2 May 2003
  • Label: Maui Records, Jayrem
  • Format: CD
 21
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart.

Extended plays

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Title Album details
Souvenir
(Dalvanius and the Fascinations)
Christmas with Dalvanius and the Fascinations
(Dalvanius and the Fascinations)
  • Released: 1973
  • Label: Reprise
  • Format: 7-inch

Singles

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Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
NZ
[7]
"Love Train" / "Chapel of Love"
(Dalvanius and the Fascinations) 		1973 — Souvenir[B]
"Wiley"
(Dalvanius and the Fascinations) 		1974 — Non-album singles
"Canberra, We're Watching You"
(Dalvanius and the Fascinations) 		1975 —
"Voodoo Lady" / "Checkmate on Love"
(Dalvanius and the Fascinations) 		1977 —
"Ecstasy"
(Dalvanius and the Fascinations) 		1978 —
"Poi E"
(with the Pātea Māori Club) 		1983 1 Poi E
"Aku Raukura"
(with the Pātea Māori Club) 		1984 10
"Hei Konei Ra (Farewell)"
(with the Pātea Māori Club) and the Yandall Sisters) 		21
"E Papa"
(with the Pātea Māori Club) 		1985 41
"Give Them Life"
(among New Zealand Music Awards Finale performers and presenters) 		1985 — Non-album single
"Ka Huri"
(with the Pātea Māori Club) 		1986 — Poi E
"Haere Mai"
(Cara Pewhairangi & Dalvanius) 		— Ngati Original Soundtrack
"Ngoi Ngoi"
(with the Pātea Māori Club) 		1988 — Poi E
"The New Zealand Expo Song (God Defend New Zealand)"
(Annie Crummer, Peter Morgan, Dalvanius and Patea Maori with the New Zealand Youth Jazz Orchestra) 		1988 47 In the Land of the Long White Cloud[C]
"Chudka Pa Poy" 1990 — Non-album singles
"White Christmas" / "Mary's Boy Child"
(Dalvanius and the Fascinations) 		1992 —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart.

Production and songwriting credits

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List of songs written or co-written for other artists, showing year released and album name
Title Year Artist(s) Album
"One Man Band" 1969 The Shevelles Non-album singles
"Maoris on 45" 1982 The Consorts
"Don't Think You Remember Me" Prince Tui Teka The Man, the Music, the Legend
"Let's Fall in Love"
"Hold on Tight"
"E Ipo"
"Before the Next Teardrop Falls"
"One by One"
"Walking in the Sun (Even a Blind Man)"
"Fool Over You"
"Only You and You Alone"
"A Real Love"
"There Are More Questions Than Answers"
"Maori Battalion Triolgy: Te Piriti / Maori Battalion"
"Party Time" 1983 Taste of Bounty Non-album singles
"Runnin' & Hiding" Tama Band
"Kua Makona" 1986 Moana Kua Makona / Tahi
"I Have Loved Me a Man" 1990 Mika X Non-album single

Notes

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  1. ^ The 25th Anniversary Edition charted at number 8 on the New Zealand artists sub-chart in 2016, after the release of Poi E: The Story of Our Song.[6]
  2. ^ Only "Chapel of Love" was present on Souvenir.
  3. ^ Album by Matt Catingub with the New Zealand Youth Jazz Orchestra.

References

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  1. ^ "Dalvanius and the Fascinations". Radio National. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 3 May 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  2. ^ Edens, John (3 August 2016). "The home of Poi E is a tiny North Island surf town with a big heart and a big story". Stuff.
  3. ^ "Leading Maori entertainer dies". The New Zealand Herald. 3 October 2002.
  4. ^ Pickmere, Arnold (4 October 2002). "Obituary: Dalvanius Prime". The New Zealand Herald.
  5. ^ "Discography Dalvanius". Recorded Music NZ. Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  6. ^ "Official Top 20 NZ Albums". Recorded Music NZ. 22 August 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  7. ^ For Pātea Māori Club releases:"Discography Patea Maori Club". charts.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 November 2021.. For "The New Zealand Expo Song": "17 July 1988". Official NZ Music Charts. Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  8. ^ "New Zealand single certifications". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  9. ^ "Success merits smiles". Auckland Star. National Library of New Zealand. 12 October 1985. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
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