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Pepe and the Rarotongans were a popular Cook Island music group fronted by a female singer, Pepe. They were active in the 1950s and 1960s. As recording artists, they had albums released on the Viking and Salem labels.

Background

The main force of the group was Pepe, formerly known as Pepe Taimata Pekamu Maoate, and Sonny Terei, also known as Sonny Tutai O Poko Maru Tamariki Nootu Teatuairo Terei. Sonny was born on 27 August 1933 in Ngatangiia, Rarotonga. He left the Cook Islands for New Zealand in 1947, to train as an electrical linesman. Pepe and Sonny were married on 29 May 1955.

As an act, Sonny did the arrangements for their music. Pepe became known for being the first Cook Islands singer to be recorded by Viking Records. Along with Will Crummer, they achieved a level of fame and had a short succession of hits from the late 1950s to the 1960s. As mentioned in Glenda Tuaine's Celebrate Cook Islands Tarekareka! article in Escape Magazine, like Crummer, Jon Jonassen and Jake Numanga, they are considered pioneers. Sonny has also been an influence on Cook Islands musicians such as Mann Short and John Lindsay.

Guitarist for the group, Nat Mara, was a recording artist in his own right. In addition to his album Peeping At Papeete and EPs La Tahitienne and A Taste Of Tahiti which were released on Viking, he had an album Welcome to Tahiti which was released on the Olympic label.

Career

The beginning of the Viking connection can be possibly traced to an event in the late 1950s. Sonny, a musician, was to back a female singer in an Auckland recording studio. The singer never turned up and the producer asked Sonny's wife Pepe if she could take part in the session.

By 1964, they had at least two albums issued on Viking, they were Rarotonga Calling and Passion Flower, details of which appeared in the Pacific Islands Monthly magazine. The line up at the time of their Rarotonga Calling release consisted of Pepe, Sonny Terei, Nat Mara, Charles Carlson and Mark Anton. In 1965, their EP Songs Of The Cook Islands was released on the Salem label. All compositions were by Sonny Terei. The four songs were "Te Marama Te Au Etu", "Momotu Te Inangaro", "Tatara Apa", and "E Oa". In 1968, their album Memories of Rarotonga was released on Salem. The album of Rarotongan songs featured a painting by Kase Jackson, a well-known artist. In 1973, Siren Songs Of The South Seas, credited to Pepe & Her Rarotongans, was released on the Olympic Records label.

In 1977, the Rarotongan Hotel had just opened and Sonny and Pepe were invited by Cook Islands Premier, Albert Henry, to return there to provide entertainment for the hotel.

Later years

In the early 1980s, Sonny was teaching music and assisting the choir at the Titikaveka Cook Islands Christian Church, after having approached by the Rev Teariki Vaerua. Quite likely, as a result of his input, for four years in a row the church won the Celebrations choir competition. In 1984, on a fundraising trip, and under the leadership of Bishop Pere (then known as Rev Tutai), Sonny and Pepe toured New Zealand with the Titikaveka CICC choir. Sonny remained a dedicated Christian for the rest of his life.

Sonny died on 25 November 2009. Pepe died at 6.40pm on Sunday, 8 June 2014 at age 81.

In 2011, one of Pepe, and Sonny's compositions, "Tama Ine" appeared on Will Crummer's Shoebox Love Songs compilation, released on the Ode label.

Members

• Mark Anton ... steel guitar or keyboards?
• Charles Carlson ... guitar
• Nat Mara ... guitar
• Pepe Taimata Pekamu Maoate ... vocal
• Sonny Terei ... guitar

Discography

References

1. Cook Islands News, Saturday, 12 December 2009 Entertainment, peu Tamataora, Sonny's musical life remembered MM
2. Cook islands Herald, 25 June 2014 Pepe-a gift from God By Charles Pitt
3. Jane's Oceania COOK ISLANDS MUSIC, Recording artists
4. Cook Islands culture, University of the South Pacific. Institute of Pacific Studies Page 36
5. Escape Magazine of the Cook Islands, Issue 21 raro rhythm, Celebrate Cook Islands Tarekareka!, story: Glenda Tuaine
6. Cook Islands News, Saturday, 12 December 2009 Entertainment, peu Tamataora, Sonny's musical life remembered MM
7. Discogs - Pepe And The Rarotongans – Rarotonga Calling
8. Discogs - Nat Mara And His Tahitians Discography
9. The New Records, Volumes 46-48 - Page 97
10. Cook Islands News, Saturday, 12 December 2009 Entertainment, peu Tamataora, Sonny's musical life remembered MM
11. Pacific Islands Monthly: PIM, Volume 35, Issues 1-6 Pacific Islands Monthly: PIM, Volume 35, Issues 1-6
12. Discogs - Pepe And The Rarotongans – Rarotonga Calling
13. Discogs Pepe And The Rarotongans – Songs Of The Cook Islands
14. Te Ao Ho, The Maori Magazine, March–May 1968, Number 62 Page 61 SALEM RECORDS-New Releases, Pepe and the Rarotongans
15. Discogs Pepe & Her Rarotongans* – Siren Songs Of The South Seas
16. Cook Islands News, Saturday, 12 December 2009 Entertainment, peu Tamataora, Sonny's musical life remembered MM
17. Cook islands Herald, 25 June 2014 Pepe-a gift from God By Charles Pitt
18. SMART Libraries BRN: 576183, Main Title: Shoebox love songs [sound recording] / Will Crummer
19. Discogs - Pepe And The Rarotongans – Rarotonga Calling
20. Discogs Pepe And The Rarotongans – Songs Of The Cook Islands
21. WorldCat Rarotonga calling
22. Popsike LP - Pepe & The Rarotongans - Passion Flower - Cook Islands - Viking
23. Pinterest Explore Zealand Viking, Pacific Vinyl and more!
24. WorldCat Meet me in Rarotonga
25. Te Ao Ho, The Maori Magazine, March–May 1968, Number 62 Page 61 SALEM RECORDS-New Releases, Pepe and the Rarotongans
26. WorldCat Cook Islands Pacific Paradise
27. MP3PLUX South Seas Idyll Pepe and the Rarotongans
28. MP3PLUX Large view
29. The New Zealand Archive of Film, Television and Sound Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision Catalogue → 51851 LP-NTK Siren Songs of the South Seas
30. Discogs Pepe & Her Rarotongans* – Siren Songs Of The South Seas
31. Hipwax Tahitian & Cook Islands Music, Tahitian LPs
32. Hipwax Tahitian & Cook Islands Music, Tahitian LPs
33. National Library of New Zealand Island songs of farewell (sound recording)
34. National Library of New Zealand Ports of Paradise (sound recording)
35. Discogs Various – Ports Of Paradise
36. National Library of New Zealand Cook Islands Pacific Paradise (sound recording) / featuring Reres Traditional Entertainers
37. National Library of New Zealand Call of the Pacific (sound recording) : a musical panorama / Various artists
38. National Library of New Zealand Action Rarotonga! (sound recording) / Will Crummer and The Royal Rarotongans ; Pepe and The Rarotongans
39. The New Zealand Archive of Film, Television and Sound Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision Catalogue → 51825 Action Rarotonga!
40. National Library of New Zealand Action Rarotonga! (sound recording) / Will Crummer and The Royal Rarotongans ; Pepe and The Rarotongans
41. The New Zealand Archive of Film, Television and Sound Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision Catalogue → 51825 Action Rarotonga!
42. Discogs Various – Music Of The South Seas! - A Visit To Tahiti, New Zealand , Rarotonga

• Viking Records artists
• Music of the Cook Islands
• Cook Islands musicians