Koro Dewes Collection - oral histories and waiata gathered by Kapunga Matemoana ('Koro') Dewes in the 1960's-1970's

Collection — Box: Location: 54/C/1

Identifier: dewk

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of copies of recordings made by Koro Dewes. Recorded from the 1950s to 1970s in Te Reo Māori, with some English, it contains whaikōrero, tikanga, whakapapa, waiata, hui, and oral histories. Though previously primarily associated with Ngāti Porou this collection contains recordings from across the motu.

Dates

1960's-1970's

Biographical/Historical note

Te Kapunga Matemoana (Koro) Dewes Ngāti Porou 1930 - 2010

Te Kapunga Dewes was the son of Henry Dewes of Te Araroa. He was educated at Horoera Native Primary School, Wesley College and Ardmore Teachers’ College. He taught for a number of years at Ruatoki School, Tikitiki District High School and then at St Stephen’s School, Bombay, while working on his B.A. In 1962 he lectured in Māori at the University Extension Department of Auckland University. In 1966 he was appointed a lecturer in Māori at Victoria University and was appointed senior lecturer in Māori Language at Victoria University. Dewes wrote a Masters thesis on Henare Waitoa (Ngati Porou composer) and this was the first thesis presented in te reo Māori without English translation. In 1976 he went back to the East Coast and was part of the establishment of Te Runanga o Ngati Porou. He was a principal of Ngata Memorial College in Ruatoria and often spoke on Radio Ngati Porou. In 2004 he received an honorary doctorate in literature from Victoria University.

(Source:https://www.komako.org.nz/person/162)

Dewes was a member of staff in the Dept. of Anthropology and Maori Studies at Victoria University of Wellington from 1966-1977 (Lecturer, 1966-1971; Senior lecturer, 1972-1977; Resigned, 1977).

Extent

60 linear_centimeters

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Administrative Information

All text and images are copyright to Victoria University of Wellington. Enquiries for re-use should be made in the first instance to the J C Beaglehole Room, VUW Library.