New Year Honours: Original Māori Volcanics Showband member Margery Pita accepts honour on behalf of 'all the boys' in the band

Margery Pita, New Year Honours recipient, records her life journey in her book Showband. Photo / Photo Tania Whyte

Margery Sylvia Pita
Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to music

Margery Pita has given more than 50 years to the New Zealand music industry, performing Māori and Polynesian songs and dances in 53 countries.

Pita feels "very nice and lovely" to receive the honours and the recognition, and says she accepts it on behalf of "all the boys" in the Māori Volcanics Showband.

She was an original band member of the Māori Volcanics, established in 1964, who went on to do shows around the world.

New Zealand entertainer and actor Billy T James and singer Prince Tui Teka were also members of the band and Pita said they both began their journey and did the training with the Māori Volcanics.

The band performed for the troops stationed in Vietnam for several years, with the troops performing the haka upon the conclusion of their performances. They entertained at several army bases throughout the Middle East, Europe and the United Kingdom.

Pita began her journey of singing and dancing at age 15 and used to sing along with Martin Winiata's big band in Whangārei.

"I never wanted to do anything else, I always wanted to pursue music."

She was known as the first long poi girl who perfected the use of four poi together.

"Wherever I went, I took a part of Whangārei with me, not in material but always in my thoughts. Hikurangi is our family's stamping ground."

She was a member of The Polynesian Trio, performing throughout New Zealand and was integral to both bands in organising and booking tours.

The Māori Volcanics Showband were part of the Unsung Heroes television series for their contribution to the music industry in New Zealand.

She had been performing with the band at aged care facilities and fundraiser events for entertainers and musician funerals and could sing in several languages.

Pita also received the Waiata Māori Awards in 2011 for her lifetime contribution to music.