Gugi Waaka
{{Short description|New Zealand musical entertainer (1937–2014)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Gugi Waaka
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = Hore Wiremu Waaka
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1937|08|01|df=y}}
| birth_place = Whakatāne, New Zealand
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2014|07|05|1937|08|01|df=y}}
| death_place = Auckland, New Zealand
| origin = New Zealand
| instruments = Guitar, vocals
| genre = Māori show band
| years_active = 1960–2014
| label =
| Notable_albums =
| associated_acts = Quin Tikis, Polynesian Trio, Maori Volcanics Showband, New Zealand Impacts Showband, Maori Premiers, Gugi Walker Quartet
| Related_acts =
| website =
| current_members =
| past_members =
}}
Hore Wiremu "Gugi" Waaka (1 August 1937 – 5 July 2014), also known as Gugi Walker, was a New Zealand musical entertainer. A guitarist and singer, he was a founding member of the Quin Tikis and the Maori Volcanics Showband.
Biography
Of Ngāti Awa and Ngāti Pūkeko descent, Waaka was born on 1 August 1937.{{cite web |url=https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search/search?path=%2FqueryEntry.m%3Ftype%3Ddeaths |title=Death search: registration number 2014/16183 |website=Births, deaths & marriages online |publisher=Department of Internal Affairs |access-date=29 October 2021}} He grew up at Poroporo, near Whakatāne.{{cite web |url=http://maorisportsawards.co.nz/wordpress/he-aitua-maori-sports-awards-loses-a-great-friend-and-music-legend/ |title=He aitua Maori Sports Awards loses a great friend and music legend |date=6 July 2014 |publisher=Māori Sports Awards |access-date=2 August 2014}}
After serving in the air force in the late 1950s, Waaka began his show business career{{cite news | url=http://www.waateanews.com/Waatea+News.html?story_id=NzMzMA | title=Showband veteran Gugi Waaka dies | date=7 July 2014 | work=Waatea News | access-date=2 August 2014 | archive-date=11 August 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140811185602/http://www.waateanews.com/Waatea+News.html?story_id=NzMzMA | url-status=dead }} and was a founding member of the Quin Tikis.{{cite book |last1=Peters |first1=Mahora |last2=George |first2=James |title=Showband!: Mahora and the Māori Volcanics |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GcGXW0NaCl0C |year=2005 |publisher=Huia |location=Wellington |isbn=1-86969-159-8 |page=66}} Moving to Australia, he formed in the Polynesian Trio with his brother and sister-in-law, Nuki and Mahora Waaka, in 1961.{{cite news | title= Volcanics set for blast from past | date=6 June 1997 | work=The Dominion | page=9 | first=Warren | last=Barton }}{{cite journal |last=Huata |first=Tama |date=December 2011 |title=Farewell to one of our icons |url=http://issuu.com/lawrencegullery/docs/waiata_mag_issue_2_online |journal=Waiata Magazine |issue=2 |pages=2 |access-date=2 August 2014}} The trio then joined with Matti Kemp, John Clarke and Hector Epae,{{cite book |last1=Peters |first1=Mahora |last2=George |first2=James |title=Showband!: Mahora and the Māori Volcanics |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GcGXW0NaCl0C |year=2005 |publisher=Huia |location=Wellington |isbn=1-86969-159-8 |page=59}} forming the Maori Volcanics Showband in 1964. Waaka left the band after a few months following a minor disagreement with Nuki.
Waaka was a member of a number of other show bands, including the Maori Premiers and the New Zealand Impacts Showband, and formed the eponymous Gugi Walker Quartet.{{fact|date=October 2021}}
Between 2002 and 2007 Waaka performed at the annual Aotearoa Māori Sports Awards, providing post-awards entertainment.
Following his death from heart problems on 5 July 2014, Waaka's body lay in state at Papakura Marae.
References
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Category:People from Whakatāne
Category:20th-century New Zealand male singers
Category:New Zealand guitarists