Hirini (Sid) Melbourne ONZM (Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu) was a composer, singer, university lecturer, poet and author. He is widely revered for his life-long contribution to Maori culture, particularly the revival of Nga Taonga Puoro (the musical instruments of Māori). A member of Ngā Tamatoa (which petitioned the New Zealand Government to have Maori taught in schools), he studied at the University of Auckland and later became the Dean and associate professor of Maori and Pacific development at the University of Waikato.
Hirini is a significant figure in the revival of the Maori language with dozens of his now classic songs sung in classrooms throughout New Zealand. The power of his melodies and the brilliance of his compositions have still to be widely recognised beyond the classroom however. In the last two decades of his life, his musical interests extended to a fascination with Taonga Puoro. After meeting fellow ethnomusicologist and performer Richard Nunns in the later 80s, the two regularly performed on marae, in schools, galleries and concerts. This partnership lead to the release of Te Ku Te Whe (RAT-D004), an album of original and traditional compositions that is widely regarded as a significantly influential document in the ongoing revival of Nga Taonga Puoro.
Hirini and Richard teamed up with Aroha Yates-Smith for their second Rattle release, Te Hekenga-a-rangi (2003), which was recorded just weeks before Hirini's early death in January 2003. In 2002, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Waikato where he had been a lecturer in the Department of Maori. He was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2003 New Year Honours for services to Māori language, music and culture, and in 2009 he and Richard were inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame.
