the Pipe and Tabor compendium

the Pipe and Tabor compendium

essays on the three-hole pipe

worldwide traditions

New Zealand

Kōauau are traditional blown pipes.  The number of holes varies, although three is the most common, and it is usually played with two hands. Kōauau were manufactured from bone, including especially human bone and albatross wing bones, and from wood, and, very rarely, stone.  The sound of the instrument varies with the material.   They were shaped with the use of several traditional tools, such as drills and chisels. Often embellished with carvings or markings, and burnished with various substances, they could be worn as personal adornments.
 
The pipe and tabor and the pandean pipes, are colonial imports to New Zealand from England.

In New Zealand in 1827 at the crowded Sandy Bay races on New Year's Day:

"the notes of the rustic Pandean pipe and drum mixed with those of the more jocund fiddle"
Colonial Times and Tasmanian Advertiser, Friday 5th January 1827

1850 Ball 1850WELLINGTON INDEPENDENT, VOLUME VI, ISSUE 469, 10 APRIL 1850, PAGE 3
1857 ‘Local Intelligence’
Address as spoken by Mrs W H Foley on the Occasion of Opening the Theatre Royal, Lyttelton1857LYTTELTON TIMES, VOLUME VIII, ISSUE 493, 25 JULY 1857, PAGE 4

1865 article on governing New Zealand: 1865NEW ZEALANDER, VOLUME XXII, ISSUE 2431, 17 MAY 1865, PAGE 3

about 1870 quite a few Morris sides emigrated en-bloc to New Zealand.
1878 advertisement for Uncle Tom’s suits:1878TARANAKI HERALD, VOLUME XXVI, ISSUE 2893, 10 AUGUST 1878, PAGE 3
1878 poem 'Sweet Peace' 1878NEW ZEALAND MAIL, ISSUE 347, 5 OCTOBER 1878, PAGE 3
1881 NELSON HARMONIC SOCIETY'S CONCERT.1881NELSON EVENING MAIL, VOLUME XVI, ISSUE 233, 30 SEPTEMBER 1881, PAGE 2
1882 'Eli' an oratorio performed by the Choral Society:1882NEW ZEALAND HERALD, VOLUME XIX, ISSUE 6410, 3 JUNE 1882, PAGE 6

1885 talk at the Theatre Royal, Christchurch;
John Radcliffe ‘premier flautist of the world’ gave an illustrated talk about flutes: 1885Lyttelton Times - Monday 30 March 1885

 

1886 poem:1886NEW ZEALAND MAIL, ISSUE 747, 25 JUNE 1886, PAGE 4

18931893OTAGO WITNESS, ISSUE 1893, 2 MARCH 1888, PAGE 28
20th century 20th centuryby Francis Shurrock
19851985 playing for medieval dancing 20162016 Aahmes Quince, New Zealand
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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