Tigilau Ness
Author: Peter McLennan
Tigilau's incarceration resulted from standing up for his beliefs, a trait that is clearly reflected in the album's lyrics.
"I've always been one to do that – if I'm going to sing about it, then I must live it and mean it. I was protesting against the Springbok tour, in the protests, and I was still playing music then, in a band called Unity (who formed in 1975) and a lot of the reggae we were playing was quite militant stuff, like Get Up Stand Up, a lot of social commentary lyrics. I was politically involved in my teens, when I left school."
(He was thrown out of school for refusing to cut his afro – how staunch is that?)
"I joined the Polynesian Panthers, a political activist group based on the American Black Panthers. When the Springbok tour did go ahead here, I got involved in the marches, and provided a lot of music for it too. Like going along the side of the road singing 'Amandla nga wethu' (power to the people) and the crowd would sing back. A lot of my training was on the road. Prior to that I was on the Hikoi, the Maori land march. I was involved in the Bastion Point occupation, and a lot of Maori land issues.
"That was a time of upheaval. Bob's music and reggae came along at just the right time. When the protests came in 1981, I was in the front line. I suppose I stood out because I was one of the marshalls and having the voice and chanting and stuff. They picked me out a few months before on the road; 'This man's a troublemaker!'"Sentenced to a year in jail, he got out after nine months on good behaviour, but the experience left its mark on him.
"I hated every minute of it, to tell you the truth. Even now, most nights I stand outside (on the back porch) and I look up at the stars, and I appreciate my freedom. That was 20 years ago, and I still feel like that."
The album is marked by songs with a message; about Tigilau's life, his experiences, coming from Nuie to New Zealand, the social changes he's witnessed and been involved in. He sings about the ghettos here in the '70s, about struggling to provide for his family, about faith, things that really matter.
He's grateful, to be here, as heard on the song Thank You.
"That song is about my feelings on being a Pacific Islander in New Zealand, of being allowed to retain our own culture and be who we are. A better life; for that, I'm really grateful. Also, it's to do with our faith. Being Rasta, we give thanks all the time, to the Almighty, especially for the many blessings in this country. Nobody has really thanked anyone, here. The gap between rich and poor is getting wider, so a little bit of love goes a long way, you know!
"It's like when the South African rugby players asked (All Black) Michael Jones; 'You say you're a Christian, Michael, then how come you're so violent out on the field, and you always deal to us?' And Michael says 'Oh, you know, brother. It is better to give than to receive.' I've kept that ever since!"
Che has been encouraging his old man throughout the album process. "He's always coming to us, to see what we think (of his tunes), 'cos he values my opinion. I've told him, 'I don't want to know until it's finished, then I'll tell you what I think'. 'Cos I hear something and I go 'I really like that', and then he comes back with it, and it's changed! And I did the same to him. I told him about it, and left it 'til it was finished. He would always go 'how's it going, dad?' 'Oh, good, good.' Not until I finished it, then I gave it to him."
And Che's response? "'Oh yeah, dad, cher cher! You da man!' He was encouraging, 'cos he knows I've been at it for so long."
Despite the ups and downs of his life, Tigilau believes that New Zealand is unique. "We're not shooting at each other, we're not ducking bullets, and there's no poisonous snakes! Don't tell anyone, just leave us be! It's the perfect climate and country for people to live together, and learn to live together."
