After Pātea’s freezing works closed in 1982, the Pātea Māori Club (previously known as the South Taranaki Cultural Club) had a 1984 hit with its song ‘Poi e’, with words by Ngāti Porou composer Ngoi Pēwhairangi and music by Pātea local Dalvanius Prime. The song was later expanded into a musical that told the story of the freezing works closure and the town.
Transcript
Poi e, kia piri mai ki au
Poi e, e awhi mai ra
Poi e, tāpekatia mai
Poi e, ō tāua aroha
Poi e, paiheretia ra
Poi, taku poi e
Poi, taku poi e
Poi, taku poi e
Rere atu taku poi, ti taha taha ra
Whakarunga whakararo, taku poi e
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
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