Puaikura
is the district on Rarotonga of which Arorangi is the main village.
Their
first event in this year’s Te Maeva Nui cultural competition was the pe’e.
The Scribd website has this to say about the pe'e:
"Pe'e
are ancient historical chants which commemorate particular events, including
brave deeds of ancestors or legendary warriors. Pe'e were formulaic in
structure and ritualised in presentation. Their very nature is the reason few
traditional pe'e survive. Because they were ritualised and could only be
chanted by certain people at certain times - at rites which were considered
heathen by the missionaries - many ancient pe'e fell into disuse and were
consequently lost. Pe'e has also come to mean any chant - old or new."
Most
of the inhabitants of Puaikura must have been in the audience at the national
auditorium judging by the cheers and applause. It was well-deserved though, the
team received one of the two A grades awarded in this category (the other went
to Tongareva).
