Dalvanius Prime
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| Delvanius Prime | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Maui Dalvanius Prime |
| Also known as | Delvanius |
| Born | January 16, 1948 |
| Origin | New Zealand |
| Died | October 3, 2002 (aged 54) |
| Years active | 1975-2002 |
Maui Dalvanius Prime (January 16, 1948 – October 3, 2002) was a New Zealand entertainer and songwriter. His 30-year musical career gave him the experience to help mentor and inspire many of New Zealand's young Maori performers. He was a vocal and forthright supporter of Maori culture. Dalvanius himself was of Tainui, Ngapuhi, Ngati Ruanui, Tuwharetoa, Nga Rauru, Pakakohi and Ngai Tahu descent.
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History
The sixth of 11 children, who during the 1950s grew up in a house always filled with different types of music and listening to the likes of Fats Domino, Elvis and The Drifters, Dalvanius Prime was one of New Zealand's most popular musical figures. Dalvanius comes from Motatau, patea,and pipiwai as that is were the Prime family comes from.
He attended the Church College of New Zealand located in Temple View, Hamilton, in his highschool years.
In the late 1960s he moved to Wellington and worked as a cook by day and musician at night. His involvement with The Shevelles, a Maori female vocal trio from Porirua, lead to several trips to Australia.
In 1970, Dalvanius travelled to Australia and performed at the opening of the Sydney Opera House The resignation of Australia's Prime Minister Gough Whitlam in 1975 inspired the song Canberra, We're Watching You.
In 1984, Dalvanius fever swept New Zealand with the phenomenal success of Poi E, recorded with the Patea Māori club.
He appeared in the film Te Rua in the 1990 and sang the theme song Chudka Pā Poy which was about Apartheid.
He also worked closely with Ngoi Pewhairangi, who helped develop , Māori Language pre-school system - providing the music for many of her inspired lyrics.
Later, Dalvanius became a campaigner for the return of mokomokai (preserved, tattooed human heads) from overseas museums.
A familiar face to television audiences, he appeared as a guest on several TV Shows including Radio Te wha waho and The Life and times of Tetutu.
Dalvanius put the experience and his own troubles as a kid, which included stealing the school bus and wrapping it around a lamp-post, to good use, working with young people right up to his death.
He was an advocate for young people involved in court cases and victims of domestic violence, and a mentor for those he had helped to guide into career paths.
Dalvanius's own career started when he won a talent quest on Wellington's 2ZB radio station.
In 1983 he formed his own production company, Maui Records. And he became increasingly involved with Maori music.
In the 1990s his memorable performances as Father Christmas at Christmas in the Park celebrations brought him appeal and fans everywhere. He died in Hawera in 2002 after a long battle with cancer. He was buried in his family urupa at Nukumaru, South Taranaki, New Zealand.
Discography
| Date of Release | Title | Label | Charted | Country | Catalog Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Poi E | /Jayrem Records | - | - | CDJAY377 |
| 2003 | A Man Of Passion | /Jayrem Records | - | - | CDJAY381 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Album | Charted | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Poi E" (with the ) |
- | - | ||
| "" (with the ) |
- | - | ||
| "" (with the ) |
- | - | ||
| "" | - | - |