This finely decorated example of this Māori musical instrument is made from maire, a native hardwood.
Taonga pūoro
Pukaea — wooden trumpet
Putatara — conch trumpet
These Māori musical instruments had a variety of roles from signaling to ceremonial and ritual use.
Putorino — trumpet / flute
These Māori musical instruments had a variety of roles from signalling to ceremonial and ritual use.
Koauau ponga ihu — nose flute
Pahu pounamu — jade gong
This Māori musical instrument was used in the whare purakau (house of learning). In the example at left the bone is the jaw of the upokohue (pilot whale) and the striker is made from akeake, a native hardwood.
notes and performance by Richard Nunns
Poi awhiowhio — whistling poi
Tumutumu — a ‘found’ percussion instrument
This Māori musical instrument was used in the whare purakau (house of learning). In the example at left the bone is the jaw of the upokohue (pilot whale) and the striker is made from akeake, a native hardwood.
Notes and performance by Richard Nunns
Koauau — end blown flute
Päkuru
End blown flute
Purerehua — bull roarer
Te huruhuru
Nguru — flute small flute played with mouth or nose
Nga Taonga Pūoro — Traditional Māori musical instruments
“Hirini Melbourne’s interest in traditional instruments had initally been stirred by looking at old isntruments lying silent in their museum cases. He mused sadly on their lonleliness. What were the sounds they created? What stories were told about them? And would their music be heard by the coming generations? He set about finding the answers to those questions…” Brian Flintoff, Taonga Pūoro.
The instruments here are those of Richard Nunns, new instruments, many created by Brian Flintoff.
To find out more or to make instruments yourself, read the book Taonga Pūoro written by master carver and Māori instrument maker Brian Flintoff. More about the book. It can be purchased from Craig Potton Publishing | Amazon.
Porotiti / Körorohü
Kü
Pupurangi — Giant Kauri shell
Te waihïhï o ngä tai parirua (kohatu)
Püpü Harakeke — flax snail shells
Hue Puruhau — large gourds
Hue puruhau are large dried gourds with the seeds removed. No finger holes are drilled, but the top is cut off leaving the neck, which when blown over creates a vibrant bass sound. (Brian Flintoff)
Nguru, made from stone
Taonga Püoro — Singing Treasures; the book
The book Taonga Pūoro is written by master carver and Māori instrument maker Brian Flintoff and includes background to the tunes played on the instruments and their families of natural sound with which they are associated.
There are sections covering the various types of instruments, such as flutes, gourds, wood and shell trumpets and bullroarers; but what breathes life into the book is the way that the technical information about each instrument is interwoven with the mythological and cultural context to which it belongs.
The book comes with a CD sampler of sounds.
It can be purchased from Craig Potton Publishing | Amazon.