In 1950s New Zealand, music was as important as music is or was anywhere. Popular music in New Zealand began to introduce distinctly New Zealand themes into songs created around this time. Themes that include: the use of te reo Māori in songs, songs about New Zealand-specific phenomena, and songs that directly mention New Zealand and/or New Zealand towns. An example of a song employing specific New Zealand themes is that of Morgan. Clarke with Benny's Five called "Haka Boogie" which Bourke (2013) described as "essential in the development of New Zealand flavored rock and roll". Made around 1955, "Haka Boogie" contains te reo Māori lyrics such as "Haere mai, ka nui te pai" (which translates to "Come in, it's very good") as well as the mention of poi, the phrase " The Maori way”, and the title including Haka. All of these themes are New Zealand and more specifically Māori, but they are based on a Hawaiian-style rock and roll song that was popular at the time in New Zealand and overseas. People are generally proud of their culture, so it's not hard to believe that Māori musicians like Morgan Clarke and Benny Tawhiti would incorporate their culture into their work. Essentially, the union of the popular music of the time and the personal identity of the songwriters to give it something different and unique from what already exists. The song could also have great appeal with New Zealand and particularly Māori listeners who can relate to what is being sung, this could have inspired them to include these themes as a good marketing strategy. As Bourke (2010) recounts in Blue Smoke, there was a Māori community center in Auckland in the 1950s which helped create the "Maori Pop Mu...... middle of paper...... ry was dominated by three American genres. » (p. 189). By the late 1950s, popular music in New Zealand had seen many inclusions of distinctly New Zealand themes. There were several Māori artists as well as Pakeha, drawing on both New Zealand cultures. The rock and roll uprising brought with it its own Kiwi sound from emerging New Zealand rock and roll musicians. New Zealand had clearly defined itself with its own personal musical identity. Works Cited Bourke, C. (2010). Blue Smoke: The Last Dawn of New Zealand Popular Music 1918-64. Auckland: Auckland University Press. Bourke, C. (May 21, 2013). Audio culture. Morgan Clarke. Retrieved April 10, 2014 from http://www.audioculture.co.nz/people/morgan-clarke Schmidt, A. (June 5, 2013). Audio culture. Johnny Devlin. Accessed April 10, 2014 from http://www.audioculture.co.nz/people/johnny-devlin