Street choir strikes right note with homeless
Every Tuesday evening the sound of music can be heard wafting out of the open church basement doors near the corner of Pitt St and K-Road.
The source of the music can be found inside the small room, beneath Pitt Street Methodist Church, where the Auckland Street Choir, a number of whom are homeless, are rehearsing.
Tomorrow marks World Homelessness Day and ahead of the event the Herald went to watch the choir practise the set it will perform in Aotea Square at an event to mark the day and raise awareness of the homeless community.
On this particular night there were at least three newcomers, including one man who got right into the rhythm, bopping and singing along to the strum of the guitar as the choir warmed up with a heartfelt rendition of Nga Iwi E.
Choir director Rohan MacMahon said he first established the choir two years ago — after noticing a rise in the numbers of homeless on Auckland’s city streets — to boost morale and bring people together.
“It’s the only choir I’m aware of that tries really hard to involve homeless people and to bring them together through the harmony of singing and the community.”
His initial band of three has steadily grown to the more than 25 regular attendees that fill the small practice room most weeks.
MacMahon said the members were looking forward to marking World Homelessness Day with the public performance this week.
“I think it will have a great sense of aroha on the day and we are really looking forward to it.”
Honotana Tamihana, 63, was looking forward to putting a smile on people’s faces tomorrow.
The keen singer grew up playing the guitar and strummed a few tunes before the practice got under way, but said stiffness in his hands meant he preferred to just sing.
“Every time you come together, I really enjoy it, it takes away all the pain,” he said. “Enjoying the company, friendship, there’s a lot of empathy for each other you know.”
Tamihana spent “virtually” all his adult life on and off the streets after coming to Auckland at 17 in search of relatives.
“At first it was hard, but after you get used to it, as you get older . . . you couldn’t get a home, or you were kicked out. Living with people who when they are drinking, fighting started, so you are between streets and homes.”
Today, Tamihana called a lodge in Grey Lynn home — his sixth in recent times.
Paul Timinis, a Housing First support worker, said there were a number of other choir members with a lived street experience and at least five or six who were still homeless.
He said the choir gave them a place to be themselves and be part of a community.