Those who walk through the doors of Katikati War Memorial Hall next Saturday night will literally step back in time for an evening of dancing the town’s Irish settlers would have relished 150 years ago.

The pinnacle of next weekend’s 150th anniversary events – to mark the arrival of Ulster Irish settlers in Katikati in 1875 – is a family-friendly free-for-all Settlers’ Dance on September 13.

The entertainment for the night – which runs from 7pm-11pm – will be led by a gentleman becoming known as ‘Katikati’s 1920s man’ Brett Lowe, who revels in everything from early era.

Connected with Katikati 150th Anniversary Committee and Settlers’ Dance organiser Terelle Carroll, Lowe has prepared a musical feast which invites the whole community to dance through the decades from 1875 to the 1950s.

“We’ve got saxophones, violins, trumpets – all sorts of instruments [which will be played] by a 12-piece band,” said the multi-instrumentalist.

“A lot of band members will play more than one instrument and they’ll be swapping them around. Most of the band is made up of locals, from as far away as Tauranga and Waihi, but we’ve got a few coming from Auckland too.”

Lowe said the band would perform in early era costumes. “Many of the instruments we will play are actually old instruments from that time.”

Dance-goers can expect to hear songs from 1875 – when the Ulster Irish settlers arrived in Katikati – through each decade to the 1950s. “People will get to enjoy a journey through 75 years of music in one evening,” Lowe said.

First 75 years

“All the songs we will use are the original composition that would have been used back then,” said Lowe.

“We’ll play dances like the Charleston and the tango, and we’ll do music that Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers danced to in the 1930s, such as classic jazz standards and show tunes. Then there will be Glenn Miller and big band music from the 1940s – so we’ve got a big mix of music to play!”

Lowe said if people want to come dressed up, they can pick an era from the present right back to Victorian times “and they’ll look the part for at least one part of the night”.

Katikati’s 1920s man’ Brett Lowe is leading the entertainment for Katikati’s Settlers’ Dance on September 13. Photo/ Brydie Thompson

The evening would also feature a short 25-minute silent film, a black-and-white screened comedy with Buster Keaton, to give dancers a break. “I will be accompanying on the piano and we’ll have somebody on sound effects – doing all of the sounds like they used back in the day,” said Lowe.

Plus, there will be a skit, Irish dancing; and Irish folk singer and storyteller Colin Urwin from Northern Ireland – his first time in New Zealand – will perform too.

Settlers’ dance organiser Terelle Carroll said she had a fantastic team behind her to bring the event to life next weekend – including Lowe, who has a background in performing and running semi-professional bands covering early era music.

Huge talent

She believed Lowe brings huge talent to the event – he can play the piano, trumpet, saxophone, banjo, “a little bit of guitar” plus the drums, xylophone, ukelele “and a whole lot of other stuff!” “It was really just an idea and I’ve had a lot of support to make it happen,” said Carroll.

The team opted to re-create a settlers’ dance as the pinnacle event for Katikati’s 150th anniversary weekend because such an event was one of the settlers’ favourite past-times, Carroll said.

“History tells us, back in those days – if they had a tennis club get-together or a roading meeting it usually always ended in a dance. Dancing was one of the few ways people could socialise in what would have been a very entertainment-vacant early New Zealand.” Back when the town was only just being formed there wouldn’t have been many places that people could gather – “so they danced after every event or occasion at people’s homes – such as at Hugh and Adela Stewart’s Athenree Homestead”.

Carroll said music and dance were ways the settlers could connect as they would have done back home in Ireland. “Many settlers brought their music and instruments with them.”

Carroll wants the community to know the event is a family-friendly alcohol-free event for all ages. “It will be fun night with lots of dancing – and the silent film is set to be just hilarious! “Everybody is welcome to come along, entry is a koha-donation and a plate of cold finger food for supper per family.”

Dress up!

She invited attendees to dress up in costume to add to the fun. “If people don’t have early era costumes I have plenty – they can call me on 07 863 4363 to arrange loaning a costume for free!”

Katikati’s Settlers’ Dance begins 7pm on Saturday, September 13, at the Katikati War Memorial Hall. Entry is a koha-donation and a plate of cold finger food. No tickets required.