Pepe and the Rarotongans

Pepe and the Rarotongans were a popular Cook Island music group fronted by a female singer, Pepe. They were active in the 1950s and 1960s. As recording artists, they had albums released on the Viking and Salem labels.

Pepe and the Rarotongans
Also known asPepe & her Rarotongans
OriginCook Islands or New Zealand
GenresPolynesian music
Years active1950s to 1960s
LabelsViking Records, Salem
Associated actsSonny Terei
Past membersPepe
Sonny Terei
Nat Mara
Charles Carlson
Mark Anton

Background

The main force of the group was Pepe, formerly known as Pepe Taimata Pekamu Maoate, and Sonny Terei, also known as Sonny Tutai O Poko Maru Tamariki Nootu Teatuairo Terei. Sonny was born on 27 August 1933 in Ngatangiia, Rarotonga. He left the Cook Islands for New Zealand in 1947, to train as an electrical linesman. Pepe and Sonny were married on 29 May 1955.[1]

As an act, Sonny did the arrangements for their music. Pepe became known for being the first Cook Islands singer to be recorded by Viking Records.[2] Along with Will Crummer, they achieved a level of fame and had a short succession of hits from the late 1950s to the 1960s.[3][4] As mentioned in Glenda Tuaine's Celebrate Cook Islands Tarekareka! article in Escape Magazine, like Crummer, Jon Jonassen and Jake Numanga, they are considered pioneers.[5] Sonny has also been an influence on Cook Islands musicians such as Mann Short and John Lindsay.[6]

Guitarist for the group, Nat Mara, was a recording artist in his own right. In addition to his album Peeping At Papeete and EPs La Tahitienne and A Taste Of Tahiti which were released on Viking,[7][8] he had an album Welcome to Tahiti which was released on the Olympic label.[9]

Career

The beginning of the Viking connection can be possibly traced to an event in the late 1950s. Sonny, a musician, was to back a female singer in an Auckland recording studio. The singer never turned up and the producer asked Sonny's wife Pepe if she could take part in the session.[10]

By 1964, they had at least two albums issued on Viking, they were Rarotonga Calling and Passion Flower, details of which appeared in the Pacific Islands Monthly magazine.[11] The line up at the time of their Rarotonga Calling release consisted of Pepe, Sonny Terei, Nat Mara, Charles Carlson and Mark Anton.[12] In 1965, their EP Songs Of The Cook Islands was released on the Salem label. All compositions were by Sonny Terei. The four songs were "Te Marama Te Au Etu", "Momotu Te Inangaro", "Tatara Apa", and "E Oa".[13] In 1968, their album Memories of Rarotonga was released on Salem. The album of Rarotongan songs featured a painting by Kase Jackson, a well-known artist.[14] In 1973, Siren Songs Of The South Seas, credited to Pepe & Her Rarotongans, was released on the Olympic Records label.[15]

In 1977, the Rarotongan Hotel had just opened and Sonny and Pepe were invited by Cook Islands Premier, Albert Henry, to return there to provide entertainment for the hotel.

Later years

In the early 1980s, Sonny was teaching music and assisting the choir at the Titikaveka Cook Islands Christian Church, after having approached by the Rev Teariki Vaerua. Quite likely, as a result of his input, for four years in a row the church won the Celebrations choir competition. In 1984, on a fundraising trip, and under the leadership of Bishop Pere (then known as Rev Tutai), Sonny and Pepe toured New Zealand with the Titikaveka CICC choir. Sonny remained a dedicated Christian for the rest of his life.[16]

Sonny died on 25 November 2009. Pepe died at 6.40pm on Sunday, 8 June 2014 at age 81.[17]

In 2011, one of Pepe, and Sonny's compositions, "Tama Ine" appeared on Will Crummer's Shoebox Love Songs compilation, released on the Ode label.[18]

Members
  • Mark Anton ... steel guitar or keyboards?
  • Charles Carlson ... guitar
  • Nat Mara ... guitar
  • Pepe Taimata Pekamu Maoate ... vocal
  • Sonny Terei ... guitar[19]

Discography
EP
Title Release info Year Notes
Do you understand? Viking VE 110 C 1962
Cook Islands Song Festival Viking VE 113 C 1962
Songs Of The Cook Islands Salem XE 3015 1965 [20]
Album
Title Release info Year Notes
Rarotonga Calling Viking VP 81 1962 [21]
Passion Flower Viking VP 89 1962 [22]
Meet me in Rarotonga Viking VP 118 [23][24]
Memories of Rarotonga Salem XP 5020 1968 [25]
Cook Islands Pacific Paradise Salem XPS 5056 1969 [26]
South Seas Idyll
Music of the Tropical Isles		 Viking VP 329 1970 [27][28] Note The New Zealand Archive of Film, Television has this as
Siren Songs Of The South Seas
Music of the Tropical Isles
Pepe & her Rarotongans[29]
Siren Songs Of The South Seas Olympic OL-6153 1979 [30]
Eddie Lund Presents .... Pepe and the Rarotongans Tahiti Records EL 1014 [31]
Siren Songs of the South Seas, Music of the Tropical Isles Everest 6153 [32]
Appearances - various artists compilations
Title Release info Year Songs by artist Notes
Island Songs of Farewell Salem 1965 [33]
Ports of Paradise Salem XPS 5023 1966 "Tatara apa", " Te marama te au etu" [34][35]
Cook Islands Pacific Paradise Salem 1969 [36]
Call of the Pacific Salem 1969 "Manuiri", "Nga pu ariki" [37]
Action Rarotonga!
Will Crummer and The Royal Rarotongans, Pepe and The Rarotongans		 Viking VP 251 1967 [38][39] [40][41]
Music Of The South Seas!
A Visit To Tahiti, New Zealand, Rarotonga		 World Record Club 889 "E Tiare", "Easy Mama"
"Kua Akaruke"		 [42]
gollark: Yes, to "terrible memes" or something, which is hardly likely to make it better.
gollark: Rebrand the channel, I mean.
gollark: No, that's just removing all the "bad" stuff manually.
gollark: Maybe it *would* be possible to improve the quality through rebranding and relabelling of it somehow.
gollark: Seems fine, I think your thing is broken.

References
  1. Cook Islands News, Saturday, December 12, 2009 Entertainment, peu Tamataora, Sonny's musical life remembered MM
  2. Cook islands Herald, 25 June 2014 Pepe-a gift from God By Charles Pitt
  3. Jane's Oceania COOK ISLANDS MUSIC, Recording artists
  4. Cook Islands culture, University of the South Pacific. Institute of Pacific Studies Page 36
  5. Escape Magazine of the Cook Islands, Issue 21 raro rhythm, Celebrate Cook Islands Tarekareka!, story: Glenda Tuaine
  6. Cook Islands News, Saturday, December 12, 2009 Entertainment, peu Tamataora, Sonny's musical life remembered MM
  7. Discogs - Pepe And The Rarotongans – Rarotonga Calling
  8. Discogs - Nat Mara And His Tahitians Discography
  9. The New Records, Volumes 46-48 - Page 97
  10. Cook Islands News, Saturday, December 12, 2009 Entertainment, peu Tamataora, Sonny's musical life remembered MM
  11. Pacific Islands Monthly: PIM, Volume 35, Issues 1-6 Pacific Islands Monthly: PIM, Volume 35, Issues 1-6
  12. Discogs - Pepe And The Rarotongans – Rarotonga Calling
  13. Discogs Pepe And The Rarotongans – Songs Of The Cook Islands
  14. Te Ao Ho, The Maori Magazine, March–May 1968, Number 62 Page 61 SALEM RECORDS-New Releases, Pepe and the Rarotongans
  15. Discogs Pepe & Her Rarotongans* – Siren Songs Of The South Seas
  16. Cook Islands News, Saturday, December 12, 2009 Entertainment, peu Tamataora, Sonny's musical life remembered MM
  17. Cook islands Herald, 25 June 2014 Pepe-a gift from God By Charles Pitt
  18. SMART Libraries BRN: 576183, Main Title: Shoebox love songs [sound recording] / Will Crummer
  19. Discogs - Pepe And The Rarotongans – Rarotonga Calling
  20. Discogs Pepe And The Rarotongans – Songs Of The Cook Islands
  21. WorldCat Rarotonga calling
  22. Popsike LP - Pepe & The Rarotongans - Passion Flower - Cook Islands - Viking
  23. Pinterest Explore Zealand Viking, Pacific Vinyl and more!
  24. WorldCat Meet me in Rarotonga
  25. Te Ao Ho, The Maori Magazine, March–May 1968, Number 62 Page 61 SALEM RECORDS-New Releases, Pepe and the Rarotongans
  26. WorldCat Cook Islands Pacific Paradise
  27. MP3PLUX South Seas Idyll Pepe and the Rarotongans
  28. MP3PLUX Large view
  29. The New Zealand Archive of Film, Television and Sound Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision Catalogue → 51851 LP-NTK Siren Songs of the South Seas
  30. Discogs Pepe & Her Rarotongans* – Siren Songs Of The South Seas
  31. Hipwax Tahitian & Cook Islands Music, Tahitian LPs
  32. Hipwax Tahitian & Cook Islands Music, Tahitian LPs
  33. National Library of New Zealand Island songs of farewell (sound recording)
  34. National Library of New Zealand Ports of Paradise (sound recording)
  35. Discogs Various – Ports Of Paradise
  36. National Library of New Zealand Cook Islands Pacific Paradise (sound recording) / featuring Reres Traditional Entertainers
  37. National Library of New Zealand Call of the Pacific (sound recording) : a musical panorama / Various artists
  38. National Library of New Zealand Action Rarotonga! (sound recording) / Will Crummer and The Royal Rarotongans ; Pepe and The Rarotongans
  39. The New Zealand Archive of Film, Television and Sound Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision Catalogue → 51825 Action Rarotonga!
  40. National Library of New Zealand Action Rarotonga! (sound recording) / Will Crummer and The Royal Rarotongans ; Pepe and The Rarotongans
  41. The New Zealand Archive of Film, Television and Sound Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision Catalogue → 51825 Action Rarotonga!
  42. Discogs Various – Music Of The South Seas! - A Visit To Tahiti, New Zealand , Rarotonga
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