Hera (Dovey) Katene-Horvath Q.S.M
Written by Rihia Kenny and taken from an old copy of Tikarohia Te Marama [publication date unknown]. Information and kōrero provided by Te Puoho Katene, Patricia Grace, Radio New Zealand, friends and whānau, Māwai Hakona and Ngāti Poneke.
Hera Katene was born in Newtown, Wellington on 10th May 1919 to Hari Kakano Wi Katene of Ngāti Toa and Te Ātiawa/Ngā Rauhine and Ngapera Kemara also known as Bella Campbell of Ngāti Whātua and Te Rarawa descent.
From infancy, Hera was fondly known as Dovey, because her father often called her ‘My Little Dove.’
She inherited her looks and love for music from her mother Bella who was an accomplished pianist. Her father Hari was also musically inclined and was able to play several instruments. He was employed as a translator in the Māori Land Courts, working between Wellington and Auckland.
At school, Dovey was involved in drama and music and began taking dance lessons at an early age. She loved to entertain. She was educated in Ponsonby, Auckland and later at Te Wai Pounamu Girls College in Christchurch.
Aunty Dovey’s involvement with Māori cultural groups began at Te Wai Pounamu in the late 1920’s when Dovey became a part of a group called ‘The 2YA Concert Party’ and later ‘The Young Māori Concert Party’ under the direction of Sir Apirana Ngata, Henry Ngata, and Bill Parker. In 1932 she toured with the Anglican Māori Mission Party.
In that same decade, she assisted in the formation of Ngāti Poneke Young People’s Club of which she later became a life member. Dovey spent many happy years with the young Māori members who had migrated from the country to the Capital. The young club was the focal point of Māori social life in Wellington for several years.
During the 1960’s, Dovey helped with the founding organisations of Māwai Hakona Cultural Club. It was during those years that she was encouraged by known song writers such as Jock McEwan and Bill Parker to compose her own material. These men realised Dovey’s potential and with their encouragement, her creative talents emerged. They were not disappointed, as several times, Dovey led Māwai Hakona to victory with winning compositions.
Dovey achieved outstanding acclaim from adjudicators both regionally and nationally for choreography, best song, lyrics, and poi. Her winning waiata included ‘I Nga Ra o Mua’, ‘Hoea Mai Ra’ used to pōwhiri Prince Charles to Wellington and ‘Te Ra Pouri’, which was dedicated to the memory of the late Prime Minister Norman Kirk.
She had a special affinity with nature. Dovey used to sit in the forest and become one with the trees, the birds, and streams. She also loved the sea. This feeling became evident when she composed such songs as ‘Kua Eke Mai Ra’ ‘Hoea Ra’ ‘I Roto I te Ngahere’ ‘Tio Tio Tio’ and ‘E Tangi e te Tai’.
When Dovey had difficulty finding suitable tunes for her songs, she would sometimes ‘borrow’ the first two or three lines from a popular pakeha song and take it from there.
She gained a reputation for being one of Aotearoa’s most noted Māori song writers and poi experts. Māwai Hakona have often been commended at cultural festivals for ‘best costume.’ A considerable amount of time went into the selection of a suitable costume for the group. Dovey was influenced by the apparel of some of her Ngāti Toa tūpuna. Photographs depicting Te Rauparaha wearing pohoi toroa (feathered ear adornments) and three Ngāti Toa women wearing korowai studded with tiny red pompoms. This sparked the idea for Māwai Hakona’s stunning and authentic looking costume.
Dovey rubbed shoulders with many well-known dignitaries over the years. Among these were Rolf Harris, Ron Goodwin and Nana Mouskouri who all asked for permission to use some her songs. She also met Kenny Rogers, the Fifth Edition, David Bowie, Cleo Lane and several diplomats and leading figures from New Zealand and other countries.
Before every performance, Dovey went through the time consuming and gruelling routine of having a moko drawn on her chin and around her lips. One day the artist, Napi Waaka, suggested that it was about time she had it done permanently. Dovey considered Napi’s suggestion for quite some time before finally deciding to ‘go through with it’. Dovey was aware of the dramatic changes that wearing a moko would make to her life. She was delighted when she was visited by Tawai Te Rangi who had previously received a ta moko. Tawai reassured Dovey by explaining the procedure, making the appointment with the pakeha tattooist, and then spending the evening together, singing waiata and talking about the good old days.
The following morning on the 26th of June 1975, they went together to the surgery of Roger Ingerton in Wellington, where Dovey received her ta moko. Mr Ingerton refused payment for his services as he felt it was an honour to work on Dovey. However, she repaid him with pounamu and other taonga. She recalled that the pain, although intense, was very brief lasting only a few seconds. There was no tohunga available to perform karakia throughout the procedure, but all went well. She was also surprised to find there was no swelling or other side effects and that evening she was able to go to her club practice and ‘cause a stir’.
The pattern for her moko was taken from a photograph of her grandmother’s sister who died without issue, so Dovey felt she was entitled to that particular pattern.
Having a moko did indeed affect Dovey’s lifestyle. The first thing she did was give away all her make up and her flamboyant clothes which she loved and resorted to wearing more sombre attire. She also avoided going to hotels and other public places unbefitting of a lady of dignity. At the time, Aunty Dovey was the last of our Ngāti Toa women to wear a ta moko.
Dovey’s years with Ngāti Poneke and Māwai Hakona were fruitful and the honours that came to her were richly deserved. Unable to continue because of poor health, she retired to Porirua to live out her days in a kaumātua flat among her own Ngāti Toa people.
I will forever be grateful for the association I had with Aunty Dovey in Takapūwāhia and for her support and patience. During the late 1970’s while tutoring the junior kapa haka group, I was fortunate to have Aunty teach me several waiata, action songs and poi with variations that made them our very own. Among them were ‘Mihi Mai E Kore’, ‘Poi Atu Taku Poi’, ‘Hoea Ra’ poi ‘Hine Ataahua’ ‘Kua Eke Mai’ and several others.
In the early 1980’s Dovey began her association with the New Zealand Māori Chorale and became a patroness. The group under the direction of Te Puoho Katene welcomed her into their midst and presented some of her songs on their record ‘Waiata Aroha’ in a way that Dovey had not expected to hear her songs sung.
The groups sang and recorded one of Dovey’s favourite compositions ‘Taupuhi’ with the New Zealand Youth Orchestra. She was later approached by Ron Goodwin of the famous London Philharmonic Orchestra to request permission to use ‘Taupuhi’. Dovey gladly gave her consent.
Dovey had twin half-brothers by Hari Wi’s first wife Amohau Te Rei of Manaia, Taranaki. The surviving twin, Te Wara had for several years been involved with the ceremonial matters at Takapūwāhia Marae, and passed away in 1988, one year after his sister Dovey.
Dovey’s marriage to Jim Wallace in approximately 1934 was not successful. A few years after separating, Dovey met Whata Green, a champion axeman, they lived in Johnsonville until Whata’s death. Dovey later met and married Hungarian Aped Horvath who also passed away after too-brief-a-marriage.
Dovey and Whata adopted and raised twin girls, Mary, and Doris Green, better known as Maina and Taina. Tragically, in 1986, within six months of each other, both girls died leaving grown up families.
Some thought it was a pity that success would only favour Dovey’s public life. Dovey Katene Horvath was awarded a Q.S.M for her outstanding contribution to Māoridom in culture, song, and dance. She died in January 1987 aged 74, after a long illness and is buried in the Katene Urupa in Pukerua Bay.
Many people saw Dovey as a lonely figure. The last song she composed was titled ‘Disillusion’. I somehow feel that her final song with its haunting melody reflects much of her private life, which she kept hidden from the world.
Disillusion (composed by Dovey Katene-Horvath).
I walk alone because I chose to lose this unhappiness shared with you
I recall from memory, the tears that we shared and the bitter words we never should have said
For quarrels meant heartache,
More quarrels, then heartbreak
And then I could see, you longed to be free
I walk alone – of my own choosing
Tho’ it meant losing you,
Disillusion is my shadow as I walk on – Alone.