Journalist learns value of warming up before Supreme Court interview
Wednesday, 16 September 2020
I’ve seen some crazy things as a journalist over the years.
I’ve watched as emergencies unfolded, as lives changed forever, and yes, I'm not ashamed to say there were moments when I was frightened.
But nothing prepared me for this: the horror of watching my middle-aged self robot-dance on a sofa.
Preparation for my interview with a Justice of the Supreme Court sadly didn’t include limbering up my delts and traps. But who would have thought we’d end up sofa-dancing and lip-synching like Māori Milli Vanilli?
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Justice Joe Williams, the first Māori person to sit on the Supreme Court has joined a host of people appearing in a singalong video released for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori.
The song is Mahuru, (September) by Pere Wihongi, released by Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori.
Sadly, like some two-for-one deal you never wanted - you get Garfunkel with Simon. Yep, I’m in there too, beside Justice Williams.
I was there to interview him in his chambers for a National Portrait feature running on Saturday. He offered extraordinary insights for the interview. But then there was this other thing.
Justice Williams was asked to join in a video being cut together by Te Taura Whiri - all he had to do was record himself lip-synching to the song.
The original 70s song by Earth, Wind & Fire is an insanely catchy earworm, reinvigorated here in a new language, with a new message.
The Justice was polite, but firm. I was going to lip-synch with him.
Frankly, you don’t say no to Justice Joe.
Personally I’ll try to ignore the comment made by a friend about our dancing. We moved, she said, like two “middle-aged white women”.
However, I’m just a space-filler on the sofa: jittering like Old Pinocchio, too tight in the shoulders to snip his own strings. Justice Williams is the star.
He has reached the highest position in the judiciary, and his reaction is not to look down, but to look out.
Like others in the video, rangatahi, tāngata rongonui, tāngata matatau i te reo - young people, famous people, expert speakers of the language - he offers inspiration.
I hated seeing myself, and yes, we do indeed look weirdly like twins - but in the end I was lucky to get a chance to kanikani along with the Justice and the others in this video.
The winner on the day was the reo - the likes of the Justice and the others are its present and future.
Who made the music happen?
Mahuru.
Written and composed by: Maurice White, Al McKay, Allee Willis, Māori lyrics by Ngahiwi Apanui
Producers: Ngahiwi Apanui, Troy Kelly Studio: The Armoury Backing vocals: Toni Huata Band: Jason McMahon (drums), Elliot Fuimaono (bass), Jed Lesa (keys), Ngahiwi Apanui (guitar) Video Editor: Kiriana Eparaima-Hautapu
With appearances from: Pere Wihongi, Justice Joe Williams, Te Atamira Jennifer Ward-Lealand, Matai Smith, Hinewehi Mohi, Stacey Morrison, Jeremy Tātere MacLeod, Paraone Gloyne & Whānau, Jack Tame, Jenny-May Clarkson, Sonny Ngatai, Māori Television, Te Wānanga o Raukawa Pulse, Jeremy Hantler 'The Harmonic Resonators', Karen O'Leary 'Wellington Paranormal', Te Kuru Dewes & Nikau Hindin, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Rito, Nikki Kennedy & Ani Hepi 'Taputapu Design', Luke Moss 'Kultured Clothing', Jessica Hita 'Pukapuka Puipuiaki', Mariam Arif, and friends and whānau of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori.