Remember young Opo, the fisherman's friend,
The summer she came up the harbour (F
G C G)
She played every day with the children of men . . . .
. . . . . (instrumental
last line)
Chorus
She'd play with a beach ball and give you a ride
She'd roll and she'd leap on the incoming tide
We
cheered and we loved and we laughed 'til we cried
What a wonderful, wonderful dolphin (F
G C)
What a wonderful, wonderful thing. (F
G Am)
2. Deep in the eyes of nature's child,
a pure and innocent joy (F
G C G)
To feel the magic in us for a while . . . .
Chorus
3. On the eighth of March a new law was passed
to protect little Opo from harm (F
G C G)
But they found her dead where the rocks held her fast
(Am
Em)
She'd drowned in the night from the gelignite's blast
(Am
Em)
I pray to God that she's not the last (Am
Em)
chance we're given. (B7)
Chorus(with
changed 3rd line)
She'd play with a beach ball and give you a ride
She'd roll and she'd leap on the incoming tide
Everyone cried when they heard that she'd died
What a wonderful, wonderful dolphin
What a wonderful, wonderful thing
What a wonderful, wonderful dolphin
What a wonderful, wonderful thing.
From
the CD Julie Collier - The Coming of Age, EMI New
Zealand 1988
In
the early summer of 1955, A lone bottle-nose dolphin
swam into the Hokianga Harbour in the far North of New
Zealand and adopted the people of Opononi as her family.
Known as Opo, she became a favourite, first of the local
community, then of its holiday-making visitors, and
finally of the whole nation.
She reacted well with most everyone she came in contact,
and especially with thirteen-year old Jill Baker, whose
parents ran the nearby tearooms. Opo and the girl formed
a very strong bond; Opo would tow Jill around the bay,
and the girl would teach her tricks. Opo was especially
careful and gentle when she was around small children.
She loved children but seemed to know how fragile they
were.
Very few local Maori played with Opo. They believed Opo
was a taniwha, a messenger sent by Kupe back to to his
point of departure for Hawaiki. Dolphins have also
figured in Western mythology, from the time of the Greek
gods, as creatures friendly to humans. So in Opononi,
Polynesian and European mythology came together to form
a fabric that was a uniquely New Zealand one. But Opo's
visitation didn't bring together Maori and Pakeha
cultures. It didn't even bring Pakeha together. Instead
the coming of Opo released contradictory forces that are
perhaps in all New Zealand communities but which are
rarely seen so openly: loyalty and envy; gentleness and
viciousness; trust and scepticism; generosity and
avarice.
As
thousands of visitors started to arrive at Opononi, she
put on a show for them at the beach there almost every
day, making some people scared for her safety: they
thought such extreme interaction with humans would harm
her. In response, the government passed a law limiting
human interaction with her. But not everyone welcomed
this law. Fishermen
blamed Opo for their empty nets, others saw the law,
which protected all dolphins in the Hokianga harbour, as
a threat to the supremacy of man over nature.
The
day after the law was passed, Opo was found dead. During
the night, a fisherman had blown her up with gelignite.
The whole nation was devastated. The local community
gave her a public funeral, and erected a statue of her
in remembrance of her loving spirit.
Bibliography:
Eric and Elizabeth Lee-Johnson, Opo, The
Hokianga Dolphin, Auckland 1994
Remember
Young Opo on record
Julie Collier's other historical songs cover a wide range of
events, in a wide range of styles, and are equally enjoyable
to listen to.
The
Coming of Age 1988 by Julie
Collier
singer/songwriter
Opo
the Friendly Dolphin Cromby
Murdoch
1956
G Am D7 G Em
I'm Opo the friendly dolphin -
Am D7 G Em
The kids think I'm I - T -
Am D7 G Em
When I give them all a fishy back ride
Am D7 G Em
And a game of ball in the swishy tide
Am D7 G Em
I'm one fish that'll never get fried
Am D7 Dm
And served in batter for tea
E Am D7 G Em
And I live at Opononi by the sea -
Am D7
0 - po
G Em Am D7
0 - po 0 - po
G C G C
Everybody loves him at Opononi Bay
A D
He's such fun for old and young
A D
They all want him to stay
He's Opo the friendy dolphin
He's friendly as can be
If you should want to learn to swim
You couldn't do better than learn from him
He’ll very soon get you into trim
And he's giving instruction free
Down at good old Opononi by the sea
Dad has to leave his golfing
coz the family all agree
Sea air is good for everyone
and Janet and John should get some sun
And much more fun than a hole in one
is a game of ball with me
Down at good old Opononi by the sea
There never was such a dolphin
in the whole of the Tasman Sea
Across the waves he likes to shoot
you never saw a fish that looked so cute
And he never wears a bathing suit
not even a bee kee nee
And he lives at Opononi by the sea
This song was originally written as "Opo the Crazy
Dolphin." 'Crazy' was a slang term in the 1950s, meaning
uninhibited. "Hey, that's real crazy, man!" "It was a
crazy tune he was swinging to." "I worked like crazy to
get it done."
But
the very day the song came out, a man who really was crazy
murdered Opo by exploding gelignite in the water near her,
and driving her in a panic onto razor-sharp rocks.
Local
Maori regarded Opo as a sacred visitor, who was teaching
us to love life to the full, but also to be caring and
gentle towards others. So I think the 'crazy' tag is no
longer appropriate.
The
lyrics were written in a great rush to fill in the lines
of the wonderfully catchy tune. They are poorly edited -
they refer to the Opo as a male and as a fish. Opo was
actually a female and a mammal. The song also insensitive,
casually mentioning that other dolphins were being killed
and eaten, a barbaric custom akin to cannibalism, which
only the Japanese still practice nowdays. The "never get
fried - served in batter for tea" could also do with a
re-write. (Some line ending in side, pride, abide,
cried, abide, tried?)
However, feel free to sing the song whichever way you want
to.
Opo the
Gay Dolphin, by Piwai Toi, Te Ao Hou, 1958
Why
did the dolphin come to live in the Hokianga River in the
year 1955? She was seen following rowing boats during
February of that year.
On Easter Saturday in March 1955 a memorial for Kupe was
unveiled, after whom this river was named the Hokianga
or Return of Kupe. Mr Hohepa Heperi, a Maori elder
who was brought up in the Hokianga said to us: "Opo is the
fish of peace, a legacy from Kupe".
She died on some rocks above Koutu Point, about three
miles up-river from Opononi. The Maori name for these
rocks is Te Kauere o Kupe. It was towards the end of March
1956 that Opo died. These coincidences are certainly
strange.
Recording
details
Thanks
again to Eddie O'Strange for supplying these recording
details.
"Opo
The Crazy Dolphin", was written by Crombie Murdoch, and
recorded overnight at the Astor studio by Pat McMinn, Bill
Langford, The Stardusters and The Crombie Murdoch Trio.
The tape was rushed to 1ZB for its first airplay.
It's
ironic that Opo (who despite the song's lyrics turned
out to be female) died later that very same day ...
before the 78 rpm disc was pressed. But the song did get
heavy airplay, and it is still available on the CD Kiwi
Nostalgia Hits of the 50's BMG cat# 74321 392832.
A famous fish there used to be, called Pelorus Jack
He'd always swim far out to sea, when a ship came back
About her bow he'd dive and play, And keep with her
right to the bay
And all on board would cheer and say:- "There's
Pelorus Jack"
Pelorus, Pelorus, good Pelorus Jack
Pelorus, Pelorus, brave Pelorus Jack
Everyone cheered whenever he appeared
Pelorus, Pelorus, good Pelorus Jack.
For years he'd meet the ships like this, good Pelorus
Jack
It seemed as though he'd never miss, any vessel's
track
He surely was a jolly sort, and everybody as they
ought
Declared he was a real old sport; Good Pelorus Jack
One day a ship came home again, poor Pelorus Jack
The people looked, but looked in vain, for his shining
back
And now as day goes after day, the folks all sigh in
mournful way
"Old Jack is gone" they sadly say; Poor Pelorus Jack.
A typical 1920s parlour piano song. Cole and
Rivers are better known for Dulcie
and the Moa.
Half
a century before Opo came to the Hokianga, a Risso's
dolphin named Pelorus Jack guided ships through the
French Pass, a channel through the D'Urville Islands off
the top of the South Island. This dangerous channel is
full of rocks, and has strong currents, that it has been
the site of many shipwrecks. But none occurred when
Pelorus Jack was at work. There is no telling how many
lives he saved.
He was first seen by human beings in 1888 when he
appeared in front of a schooner from Boston named the Brindle,
just as the ship was approaching French Pass. To their
amazement, the dolphin then proceeded to guide the ship
through the narrow channel. And for years thereafter, he
safely guided almost every ship that came by.
A law was passed in 1904 protecting all Risso's dolphins
in those waters after a passenger aboard a ship named
the Penguin took out a gun and shot at Pelorus
Jack.
The
crew was furious, and came close to lynching the
passenger. The Penguin had to negotiate the
channel without Pelorus Jack's help, as did the other
ships that came through in the next few weeks. But one
day the dolphin reappeared, and once again proceeded to
guide ship after ship through the channel. When the Penguin
showed up again, however, the dolphin immediately
disappeared.
For a number of years thereafter, until 1912, Pelorus
Jack continued to escort ships through French Pass - but
never again the Penguin. In 1909 it was wrecked,
with the loss of 72 lives, as it sailed - unguided -
through French Pass.
Opo,
a 32 bar reel for 3 couples,
by Barry
Skelton, Auckland
Recommended
Music: The Isle of Skye, by Niel Gow,
1-8
1st couple CROSS (RH) & CAST OFF 1 place. (2nd
couple step up on 3 & 4).
1st couple taking inside hands, DANCE UP THE MIDDLE to
finish facing each other between 2nd couple
1st couple TURN (RH) & finish with 1st woman facing
2nd man & 1st man facing 2nd woman.
9-16
1st & 2nd couple dance a RIGHT SHOULDER REEL OF 4
across the dance.
1st woman finishes facing 2nd man, & 1st man,
turning around by the left, finishes behind 1st woman,
ready for. . .
17-24
1st couple TANDEM REEL OF 3 across the dance with 2nd
couple.
25-32
1st couple DANCE DOWN BETWEEN 3rd couple & CAST UP
round them to 2nd place.
1st couple CROSS (RH) & ALL 3 couples SET.
An Opo
dance for children
This
Scottish reel of Barry Skelton's is a great idea, but it
is too difficult for school children to perform.
What
is needed is a simple dance that children can do, with
words and actions re-enactiong Opo's visitation. It
could ritualise some of these elements:-
- Start it with a Kupe voyager chant, showing Opo was a
messenger from Kupe's spirit.
- Children gathered in a circle playing ball in the
shallows.
- 'Jill Baker' flutters her hand in the water and Opo
comes, weaving in and out between them.
- Opo tows 'Jill' away on a tour of the bay.
- Opo is killed by a gelignite blast.
- The children huddle in mourning,then . . .
- One child starts moving in imitation of Opo, a free
spirit, gentle, caring and courageous, and gradually all
join in. Opo's spirit has been resurrected.
E-mail
me in a description of any dance you create like
this, and I will add it to this page.
In
the early summer of 1955, A lone bottle-nose dolphin
swam into the Hokianga Harbour in the far North of New
Zealand and adopted the people of Opononi as her family.
Known as Opo, she became a favourite, first of the local
community, then of its holiday-making visitors, and
finally of the whole nation. 
Very few local Maori played with Opo. They believed Opo
was a taniwha, a messenger sent by Kupe back to to his
point of departure for Hawaiki. Dolphins have also
figured in Western mythology, from the time of the Greek
gods, as creatures friendly to humans. So in Opononi,
Polynesian and European mythology came together to form
a fabric that was a uniquely New Zealand one. But Opo's
visitation didn't bring together Maori and Pakeha
cultures. It didn't even bring Pakeha together. Instead
the coming of Opo released contradictory forces that are
perhaps in all New Zealand communities but which are
rarely seen so openly: loyalty and envy; gentleness and
viciousness; trust and scepticism; generosity and
avarice. 
Fishermen
blamed Opo for their empty nets, others saw the law,
which protected all dolphins in the Hokianga harbour, as
a threat to the supremacy of man over nature. 
