Dies to the sounds of Poi E
FRIDAY , 04 OCTOBER 2002                                                                                   By BESS MANSON                                                     www.stuff.co.nz

The family of Maori performer Dalvanius Prime were softly singing his beloved Poi E as he died of lung cancer in Hawera Hospital yesterday.

Prime, 54, received an award only last month from Creative New Zealand for his contribution to Maori arts. He had been battling cancer since March last year.

Sister-in-law Pauline Prime said Prime's family, including his 12-year-old adopted daughter Alishaba, had been by his bed since he was admitted to hospital on Sunday. He had returned from Auckland where he was recording a new version of his 1984 hit Poi E with the Patea Maori Club only the day before.

Prime is to lie at the Pariroa Pa in Patea till he is buried in the Tutahi Marae Cemetery just north of Waitotara on Monday.

The Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Judith Tizard, said Prime was an "astonishing" New Zealander and a big man in every way. "Dalvanius made an enormous contribution to his Patea community, to Maori cultural heritage and to our national identity. He was amazingly generous and passionately tireless . . . I often think he lived several lives in his one all too short one."

Ms Tizard said she would miss Prime's "shouting e-mails", concerning the return of moko mokai Maori heads from overseas institutions, which he sent on an alarmingly regular basis.

Patea Maori Club chairman John Nyman said Prime had been in much pain in recent months but was determined to finish the Poi E recording. Prime would be missed as a mentor, a musical director and as a mate.

Prime's career as a singer, songwriter and producer spanned more than 30 years. Always larger than life, he had a passion for the miniature. Chihuahua dogs and a flock of Wyandotte chickens were his hobby.