Hera Katene-Horvath - 'Aunty Dovey'
Biography
BiographyBorn in Wellington in 1912, Hera Katene-Horvath was fondly known as 'Aunty Dovey'.
Aunty Dovey was of Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Tama, Te Āti Awa, Te Rarawa and Ngāti Whātua descent, and was educated at Te Waipounamu Maori Girls' College in Christchurch. She undertook wartime factory work making Army bottles.
Aunty Dovey became interested in Māori heritage through her involvement with the Ngāti Pōneke cultural group in Wellington, and went on to compose many award-winning waiata.
She was a founding member of Ōrongomai Marae, and for many years president of the Māwai Hakona Māori Cultural Association; the group won the 1973 New Zealand Māori cultural competitions, and was invited to perform at the opening of the Sydney Opera House.
Their items included some of her compositions.
Her well-known waiata included 'Hoea-Ra', adapted by Rolf Harris and sung on television and twice before the Queen, and 'Te Ra Pouri', a traditional lament for Labour Prime Minister Norman Kirk.
She was awarded a Queen's Service Order in 1978 for community services. When she moved to live at Takapūwāhia, Porirua, she began to compose for the New Zealand Maori Chorale, moving away from songs of action and welcome, for marae and competitions; Tapuhi, a lament for a niece, was one example.
Aunty Dovey died in Porirua on January 27, 1987; an obituary appeared in the 'Leader' on February 3.
Aunty Dovey was of Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Tama, Te Āti Awa, Te Rarawa and Ngāti Whātua descent, and was educated at Te Waipounamu Maori Girls' College in Christchurch. She undertook wartime factory work making Army bottles.
Aunty Dovey became interested in Māori heritage through her involvement with the Ngāti Pōneke cultural group in Wellington, and went on to compose many award-winning waiata.
She was a founding member of Ōrongomai Marae, and for many years president of the Māwai Hakona Māori Cultural Association; the group won the 1973 New Zealand Māori cultural competitions, and was invited to perform at the opening of the Sydney Opera House.
Their items included some of her compositions.
Her well-known waiata included 'Hoea-Ra', adapted by Rolf Harris and sung on television and twice before the Queen, and 'Te Ra Pouri', a traditional lament for Labour Prime Minister Norman Kirk.
She was awarded a Queen's Service Order in 1978 for community services. When she moved to live at Takapūwāhia, Porirua, she began to compose for the New Zealand Maori Chorale, moving away from songs of action and welcome, for marae and competitions; Tapuhi, a lament for a niece, was one example.
Aunty Dovey died in Porirua on January 27, 1987; an obituary appeared in the 'Leader' on February 3.
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Details
Date of Death27th January 1987Place of DeathPoriruaPlace of BurialPukerua Bay; Pa Road urupā?SexFemaleEthnicityMāori
Place of DeathPoriruaPlace of BurialPukerua Bay; Pa Road urupā?SexFemaleEthnicityMāoriFamily
Iwi/Hapu
Connections
Hera Katene-Horvath - 'Aunty Dovey'. Upper Hutt City Library, accessed 17/09/2024, https://uhcl.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/28647