Te Kupu “Vision”

Dean Hapeta, the frontman of Upper Hutt Posse went solo as Te Kupu – the word. “Vision” is a smooth tune reaffirming his social and political stance. Te Kupu’s vocal style goes from a raspy growl to a spoken word drawl to cool chanting.

The video, directed by Chris Graham, focuses on Te Kupu in various locations around Wellington. Wearing a trenchcoat, sunglasses and beret (Cold War chic), he hangs around an alleyway where a small girl joins him, nicely diffusing his menace. But just in case you thought he was too soft, he sets fire to a table. And it’s a hearty blaze, making me wonder if there was any nervousness at the time on the video set.

We also see Dean in casual streetwear, sitting outside the old National Museum building. It now houses Massey University, but back in 1999 it was empty, with the museum having moved down the hill to its new home at Te Papa. It’s all highly symbolic – an angry young Maori man holding ground outside an empty symbol of a colonial institution. There are also scenes of protest, breakdancing in downtown Wellington and an urgent run along under the motorway.

We find Cold War spy Dean also hanging around an abandoned industrial site, all overgrown and exposed. Again, it’s a good symbolic location, a sign of something from a previous New Zealand that doesn’t have a place any more. Well, either that or it’s just a cool place to shoot a music video.

Best bit: the giant fiery flames of the table.

Director: Chris Graham
Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision

 

Next… poo.

4 thoughts on “Te Kupu “Vision””

  1. Hi Te Kupu

    Vladimiro writing again to you from the Old Continent.I di not hear from you anymore,my new email address is apoesidi@gmail.com

    In my website http://www.apoesidi.com you can find my poems DOVE and Seeds of Soul´s light.

    Two other poets I added: Roberto Leoni and Silvia Mimika.I transated their poems into Italian and they translated and put on their websites one of my poem as well.This is what I was asking you to do lomng ago,I would have apprteated one of my poems you enjoyed to be translated into maori language.

    Look for this other document I am sending you,I got it on line,surking the net.Hoping to hear from you soon or when you can.Vladimiro

    Vladimiro Rinaldi
    web site:
    http://www.apoesidi.com
    blog:
    Progressi In Psichiatria Psychiatric Progress
    email address: apoesidi@gmail.com

    1. Hey, just so you know, this is not Te Kupu’s website. This page is just a review I wrote of one of his music videos. Unfortunately I don’t personally know Te Kupu and I have no way of passing your message onto him. Good luck.

  2. Even if you do not personally know Ke Kupu I hope you read his poems in English and Maori . They are great .My translations from English into Italian of some poems by this great rap Maori singer and poet there too, at web site http://www.apoesidi.com. Poetry is as beautiful as a cathedral,somebody wrote. This person ,this poet from Italy was right. Te Kupu poetry is rap but they work as poems too.ahis houl like a contemporary Allen Ginsberg is welcome for the texts full of anger and love to our tragic specie.Poetry has many faces and the good poems are always welcome.

    Who am I to say so ? I am a poet too ,a humble person working poetry too.My poems can be read visiting my web site http://www.apoesidi.com
    The word apoesidi was created by me in year 1969-70 when I was in Finland traveling and living, apoesidi means the countryless poems,the countryless of the Countryless because we are humanknd and our country is everywhere,the whole planet and rhe universe. And the orhete creatures too. Enjoy the poems ( in well translated English ) apoesidi, uccella maria ,The Milky Way With Splinters, Well now! How to read them ? Visiting my web site http://www.apoesidi.com and clicking on the flag of favourite language. It is a homage to Ke kupu and all rhe people in New Zeland who love powtry and the poets

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