The original band were gold miners, and the uniform is a representation of their "Sunday Best".
Frank Graham, in his lovingly-written history of the Band, "Boyangs n' Bandannas" writes:
"It was the goldminer who introduced the social garb which, many years later, was adopted by the Kokatahi Band. Moleskin breeks were fashionable in the 1860's and with showy shirts, sashes and bowyangs, the miner did his drinking or courted the few eligibles offering. In 1910, fifty years after the purchase of Westland (from the Ngai Tahu Maori), the province celebrated a half-century of development with a Jubilee Festival. It is generally accepted that either then, or within two or three years afterwards, the now famous Kokatahi Band came into existence. The original Band intended to emulate the illustrious gold miner in his leisure. That same attitude exists with members today.
"Although a uniform similar to the Sunday clothes of the early miner was adopted by the Band from 1914, there have been cosmetic changes made occasionally. The official garb of the Kokatahi Band today, is a red shirt, black bandanna, white moleskin trousers complete with bowyangs. A black cummerbund has been replaced by a red one which is current.
"The intriguing part of the uniform is the bowyang - a piece of leather strip similar to a heavy bootlace, tied around the leg just beneath the knee, serving a multi-purpose. Being where it is, the bowyang allows he knee to bend without tearing the material if the trousers are wet and it keeps the bottom of the trouser leg out of mud and water, so common on the early miner's access tracks around Westland. It also served as a place for the miner to tuck his tobacco pipe when not in use."
And at ground level the original black leather workboots are gradually giving way over the years to black leather shoes.
The uniform is the same both for the men and for the women, who've joined the Band since 1990.
Frank Graham, in his lovingly-written history of the Band, "Boyangs n' Bandannas" writes:
"It was the goldminer who introduced the social garb which, many years later, was adopted by the Kokatahi Band. Moleskin breeks were fashionable in the 1860's and with showy shirts, sashes and bowyangs, the miner did his drinking or courted the few eligibles offering. In 1910, fifty years after the purchase of Westland (from the Ngai Tahu Maori), the province celebrated a half-century of development with a Jubilee Festival. It is generally accepted that either then, or within two or three years afterwards, the now famous Kokatahi Band came into existence. The original Band intended to emulate the illustrious gold miner in his leisure. That same attitude exists with members today.
"Although a uniform similar to the Sunday clothes of the early miner was adopted by the Band from 1914, there have been cosmetic changes made occasionally. The official garb of the Kokatahi Band today, is a red shirt, black bandanna, white moleskin trousers complete with bowyangs. A black cummerbund has been replaced by a red one which is current.
"The intriguing part of the uniform is the bowyang - a piece of leather strip similar to a heavy bootlace, tied around the leg just beneath the knee, serving a multi-purpose. Being where it is, the bowyang allows he knee to bend without tearing the material if the trousers are wet and it keeps the bottom of the trouser leg out of mud and water, so common on the early miner's access tracks around Westland. It also served as a place for the miner to tuck his tobacco pipe when not in use."
And at ground level the original black leather workboots are gradually giving way over the years to black leather shoes.
The uniform is the same both for the men and for the women, who've joined the Band since 1990.
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A history of the Kokatahi Band from its beginnings in the early 1900s in South Westland, to the beginning of this century.
Frank Graham details the often-contradictory accounts of the formation and early appearances of the Band from 1910 onwards - or was it 1909 or 1912? - its instruments and members though the years, significant events and tours, its repertoire and much more. It has a large section on Westland itself, and the specifically Westland card game "45s".
Frank Graham details the often-contradictory accounts of the formation and early appearances of the Band from 1910 onwards - or was it 1909 or 1912? - its instruments and members though the years, significant events and tours, its repertoire and much more. It has a large section on Westland itself, and the specifically Westland card game "45s".
