Weekend Rewind: NZ protest songs

Tiki Taane performs Freedom To Sing. Picture / NZOS

Opinion

The recent crown apology for atrocities committed at Parihaka prompts NZ On Screen's Nicky Harrop to revisit Tim Finn's musical tribute to those affected, along with some other notable New Zealand protest songs.

In November 1881, about 1600 government troops invaded the Taranaki settlement of Parihaka - which had come to symbolise peaceful resistance to the confiscation of Maori land - arresting leaders Te Whiti-o-Rongomai and Tohu Kakahi. In 1989, inspired by Dick Scott's influential book on the events, Ask that Mountain, Tim Finn wrote this powerful song in tribute to the pair, recording it with reggae band Herbs.

You can see the Parihaka video here:

Herbs were no strangers to protest songs, having released their impassioned anti-apartheid single Azania in 1981, and 'no nukes' anthem Nuclear Waste in 1985. In 1982 they had another topical hit with French Letter, protesting French nuclear testing in the Pacific. The song was rereleased in 1995 as testing resumed, reigniting its lyrical cry: "Let me be more specific - get out of the Pacific!"

Watch French Letter by Herbs here:

Rugby tours to and from South Africa have also inspired several local protest songs. But one of the songs closely associated with the 1981 Springbok Tour was actually written just before the events it later came to be linked with. Auckland ska band The Newmatics originally wrote Riot Squad about a fraught relationship between the Auckland live music scene and the police, but when the Springbok Tour gave the term "riot squad" currency throughout the country, the song took on a whole new meaning.

Watch the music video for Riot Squad here:

When it came to the proposed 1985 All Black tour of South Africa, a protest song was purpose-written that dealt directly with the issue at hand. Don't Go rallied New Zealanders to express their opposition to the tour, which was later called off. Singers Don McGlashan, Chris Knox and Rick Bryant were out front for the song and its music video - directed by Alison Maclean.

Watch Don't Go here:

Don McGlashan's Anchor Me wasn't written as a protest song, but when it was covered by an all-star cast of NZ singers to mark the 20th anniversary of the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior in 2005, it took on its own quiet power. The accompanying music video added to the no-nukes message with its washed out landscape interspersed with footage of nuclear blasts, pollution, and Greenpeace vessels in action.

You can see the Anchor Me music video here:

In April 2011, Tiki Taane was handcuffed, arrested and spent a night in the cells after performing a number by American rappers NWA as police visited his performance at Tauranga's Illuminati club. The charges were later dropped and Taane remained resolutely unapologetic. The defiant Freedom to Sing, recorded a month later at the same venue, is his musical response to the ordeal. Armed only with an acoustic guitar - the protest singer's weapon of choice - he asserts his refusal to be silenced while firing a broadside at police, the media and politicians.

Watch Freedom to Sing here:

You can see a more comprehensive selection of New Zealand protest songs in this NZ On Screen Spotlight collection.