Speech - Music and Me

Petra-Rose 15/9/2014

Music and me

Ko Aoraki te maunga

Ko Waimarikiriki te awa

Ko Waitaha te waka

Kei Otautahi ahau whanau ei

Ko Ofakiloma toku papa

Ko Tongatapu tona turangawaewae

Ko Jeannie toku mama

Ko Rarotonga tona turangawaewae

Ko Petra-Rose Reitumanava ahau

How was I introduced to music?  Well I’m certain my mother must’ve sung to me while I was in her womb.  Can I add if you hear her sing - boy! you need to have earplugs - because she won’t even get auditioned by NZ idol or X-Factor.

I enjoy singing - in fact I sing better in the shower, and judge mum will say “get out of the shower - there will be no more hot water for the rest of us” - To this day, now that I’m ten she still sings that same chorus “get out of the shower!”.  I’m seriously thinking of writing a song about her abuse of me when I’m in the shower.  

Singing in the The Christchurch MUSE Music Trust Community Choir was very satisfying, you don’t have to be a professional singer to be in the choir.  The MUSE motto is “Bringing music to the heart of the Community”.  It was a wonderful experience of learning songs of different cultures and being surrounded mostly with palangi’s who appreciate and respect foreign cultures.

I wake up to a tune and I would hum or sing it.  I’m learning piano and ukulele.  My Rarotongan whanau are musical but only display their musical talents at certain events.   My Tongan whanau here in Auckland are very musical but the opposite - they openly and regularly share their musical skills all the time.  

At home I hear southern gospel, rhythm & blues, soul, motown, ballads and rock but hardly any island music.   

When my mum sings, I smile because she’s off-tune but she’s very funny at imitating other singers.  For example, when I used to fly up to Auckland from Christchurch or Wellington on my own, Mum would call and sing Stevie Wonder “I just called to say I love you, and I mean it from the bottom of my heart”

My mother usually would sing me a lullaby to rock-me-to-sleep “Moe moe ra e taku pepe”  the Rarotonga  version of “Rock-a-bye-baby.   I always sing “Moe moe e taku pepe” to my kitten to rock him to sleep.

We all have different taste in music and I’m blessed to be surrounded by people that enjoys a wide variety of music which have added to my love of music. 

Thank You and God Bless