TANE Nathan
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Maori and Music
1999 – – 2002 -2013
From the 2014 School Magazine
I first met Nathan Tane the year before he began to work s King’s High School. His Spanish classical guitar playing w, impressive and electrifying. It was to my pleasant surprise to meet him in the King’s st room at the beginning of the following year as our new tea of Music and Maori.
A Southland boy at heart, Nathan made an immediate impression as a teacher of real character. His connection to both the music and our Maori students was immense and, for many of them, the beginning of lifelong friendships To describe Nathan as hard working is an understatement. He worked diligently in the classroom but his most impressive contributions occurred outside the classroom.
Musicals. Every second year at King’s, or helping out at Queen’s, he was always there, directing sections, teaching da moves, directing the musicals in arranging orchestral music, playing as well. He was patient, arranging microphones and doing every thing that he saw needed doing.
Stage Challenge. These were held on alternate years to the school Musicals. He was always available to help Gill Brettell or Sarah Sharma work with the students, lifting the King’s performance to become a real force on stage.
The Kapa Haka Group. He successfully worked with various tutors to showcase talent within the traditional Maori context providing the spark that is now the-force called He Waka Kott
Rock Quest, Assemblies, Mr Reddiex’s sound guy; PAC technici Maori Dean, Mr Frost’s Classical guitar soloist (how that fits in classical studies no one really knows!), guitar lessons, the list goes on but underneath this, he was a mentor, mate and friend.
Nathan left King’s for a bit at the end of 2002 to work at the Otago Polytechnic as a Maori students’ support person. He returned to King’s after this break stronger and continued to work tireless for the benefit of all cultural performances.
After such amazing service he left King’s to focus on becoming the best Maori teacher he could be, back in Invercargill where all began. His generous and free ranging presence is missed in the staff room. We wish him well on his future adventures.
Ora roa, mete kake toku hoa .