Showman reprises war theatre routine

Nuki Waaka entertained Malayan veterans again at their reunion. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Performers never knew what would come flying at them when they played for troops in Malaya or Vietnam during last century's tumultuous wartime conflicts.

Nuki Waaka, 77, frontman for The New Zealand Maori Volcanics, was back singing for Malayan veterans last night in Auckland at their biennial reunion, 42 years after the iconic showband first went to Terrandak during the Malayan Emergency.

Mr Waaka's nephew was serving when he asked if the Volcanics, who were playing in Singapore in 1967, could visit. The band had already been through Vietnam so were used to playing on the backs of trucks or between huts in the middle of nowhere.

"That was a funny war, because you didn't know who the enemy were. During the day the VC [Vietcong] would work on the bases, then at night they'd put on their blacks and shoot at you.

"You'd be playing and then get shot at or shelled. But those were the conditions the troops were in."

Every band member had whanau serving so there was no question about visiting the infantry.

"I get choked up about it now but when [Prince] Tui Teka broke into the Green Green Grass of Home, well it was hard to watch those young boys, knowing that you'd be the only civilians they might see in a long while. We just wanted to boost their morale."

While the Americans troops paid for gigs, Kiwi soldiers got the fun for free, Mr Waaka said.

"Well, they [the Americans] had the money. And we wanted to give our boys a little bit of home."

More than 300 New Zealand veterans are registered for the four-day Auckland reunion. Mr Waaka said playing for them again was "fantastic".

"This is nostalgic not only for them but for me as well. Reminds me of the wonderful times we had as a band. We weren't the best singers, we weren't the best musicians but, boy, together we were the best."

Former band members include Prince Tui Teka, Billy T James and Dalvanius Prime. Last night, Mr Waaka was joined by 10 other band members - some who performed for the Quin Tikis and the Maori Hi Fives.

Veterans at yesterday's powhiri included former Maori Land Court judge Ken Hingston, now Chief Justice of Niue and a Cook Island High Court judge.

Justice Hingston said seeing mates he hadn't seen in years was something special.

"I was going along the line shaking hands and I thought, 'That's Bob Tito'. I haven't seen him in 50 years. He looked at me politely, then he sort of looked again and then I got the big, 'Oh', and a smile.

"The memories came flooding back."

The Malayan Emergency lasted from 1948 to 1960, although New Zealand maintained a presence until 1989 - with 38,000 troops serving in the region.

The Governor-General, Sir Anand Satyanand, King Tuheitia, Associate Defence Minister Heather Roy, Labour leader Phil Goff, Manukau City Mayor Len Brown, the Malaysian and Singaporean High Commissioners and senior military officers also attended.