This is a Māori brass band from Rotorua in the late 1890s. In the 1890s many Māori communities set up their own brass bands. Small communities went to great lengths to raise funds for the latest instruments and elaborate uniforms to match those of Pākehā bands, and well-known Pākehā band masters were hired to train the musicians. Māori brass bands took part in Māori cultural events, as well as performing at mixed events like picnics and sports meetings. Some Māori bands, such as the Otaki Brass Band, took part in band competitions.
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Rotorua Museum of Art and History, Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa
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OP-1054
Permission of Rotorua Museum of Art and History Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa must be obtained before any re-use of this image.
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