Forty years ago, Tina Cross entered Kiwi pop culture history when she won the Pacific Song Contest with Nothing But Dreams. She celebrates the anniversary with guests at Takapuna's Pumphouse Theatre this Friday night.
1
How did that iconic 1979 Pacific Song Contest win change your life?
It was a defining moment that turned me into a household name overnight. There were only two TV channels then and everyone was watching. Winning gave me the confidence to spread my wings. My workload doubled and within 18 months I'd moved to Australia, which was what you did in the late 70's and early 80's to further your career. That song and that dress are what people of that era most remember me for.
2 Growing up in Otara, what sort of childhood did you have?
I'm the middle child of seven. I was the 'Miss Goody Two Shoes'. Growing up we didn't have luxuries, but us Cross kids always had food on the table, clean clothes and shoes on our feet. I was conscious of kids around me not being OK and sometimes going hungry. I'd planned to become a social worker until I got a lucky break on TV at age 16. TVNZ's light entertainment department was thriving and I was well and truly riding that wave.
3 Are you strongly connected to your Māori heritage?
I began my te reo journey two years ago at AUT. Now that I'm older, I have more time. I'm very close to my wider whanau, particularly on Mum's side - mostly Te Aupouri and Ngāti Kuri because we lived in Kaitaia for three years while I was growing up. Dad's Ngāti Porou but we didn't spend as much time on the East Coast. With two Maori parents you'd think the language would have survived at home, but it didn't. Mum and dad blamed dialect differences but I think with the urban shift, emphasis wasn't placed on the language at that time.
4 Do you have a female mentor or icon you've looked up to in life?
My great aunt Dame Mira Szaszy was the role model I most admired. She was my grandfather's younger sister and worked alongside Dame Whina Cooper for part of her career. She was an exceptional academic who worked tirelessly for the betterment of Māori women and children. She's the inspiration behind my 'Power of Song' workshops in prisons.