Poi E singer’s life on film
Cameras roll on song that made Dalvanius Prime a Kiwi legend
The life of Dalvanius Prime and the origin of the song are to be made into a film, with shooting in Patea this weekend.
Written and directed by Tearepa Kahi, who made the reggae movie the film will star Maaka Pohatu as Prime.
Dalvanius Prime, of Nga Rauru, Tainui, Ngapuhi, Ngati Ruanui, Tuwharetoa, Pakakohi and Ngai Tahu descent, co-wrote the alternative national anthem that is with Ngoi Pewhairangi and recorded it with the Patea Maori Club.
It stayed in the charts for much of 1984, reaching No 1 for four weeks and making a reentry into the top 20 in 2010 when it was on the soundtrack to eight years after Prime’s 2002 death in Hawera after a battle with cancer.
The song’s huge popularity was helped by a video that was a joyful pastiche of cultures and styles filmed in Patea.
remains the only song in Te Reo to reach No 1 in the charts.
The Patea Maori Club toured the world performing the song and still performs it.
Dalvanius Prime was born and raised in Patea, the son of a freezing worker.
He had seven brothers and four sisters and described his upbringing as “rough”.
He got into trouble as a kid, including “stealing the school bus and wrapping it around a lamp post”, according to Wikipedia. That experience was put to good use, working to help young people right up to his death in Hawera in 2002, aged 54.
In between he worked in Wellington as a cook by day and musician at night, and was involved with The Shevelles, a female vocal trio from Porirua, which led to a move to Australia.
He performed at the opening of the Sydney Opera House and with the resignation of Australia’s Prime Minister Gough Whitlam in 1975 was inspired to write and perform the song
with The Fascinations. But it is that defines him.
The film is produced by Tearepa Kahi, Reikura Kahi and Alexander Behse through their company The Patea Film Collective with the support of the Dalvanius Prime Estate and the Patea Maori Club.
It is expected to be in cinemas this year.