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. He grew up at Poroporo, near

Whakatāne Whakatāne ( , ) is a town located in the Bay of Plenty Region, Bay of Plenty Region in the North Island of New Zealand, east of Tauranga and northeast of Rotorua. The town is situated at the mouth of the Whakatāne River. The Whakatāne Dis ...

. After serving in the air force in the late 1950s, Waaka began his show business career and was a founding member of the Quin Tikis. Moving to Australia, he formed in the Polynesian Trio with his brother and sister-in-law, Nuki and Mahora Waaka, in 1961. The trio then joined with Matti Kemp, John Clarke and Hector Epae, 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. 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

{{DEFAULTSORT:Waaka, Gugi 1937 births 2014 deaths Ngāti Awa people People from Whakatāne 20th-century New Zealand male singers New Zealand guitarists New Zealand male guitarists New Zealand expatriates in Australia