- His parents were both musicians, and he learnt to play the guitar and saxophone at a young age.
- In 1974 he met with Noel Tio; both Tui and Noel had known each other since 1958, so Noel Tio Enterprises Pty Ltd. became his Australian (only) manager for 11 years.
- In 1972 he began his solo career, and returned home releasing two albums: Real Love and Oh Mum, as well as the Maori love song "E Ipo".
- Tumanako "Tui" Teka better known by his stage names Tui Latui or Prince Tui Teka was a Maori singer and actor.
- In 1959, Teka, Jonny Nicol, and Mat Tenana joined the Royal Samoans and Maoris. The band was later renamed Prince Tui Latui & The Maori Troubadours.
- In 1968 he joined Maori Volcanics Showband, touring the Pacific for six years.
- He moved to Sydney in the early 1950s.
- Teka was a member of the Maori Volcanics Showband before having a successful solo career.
- Before his death in 1985, he was in the West German TV series Jack Holborn and starred in New Zealand films Came a Hot Friday and Savage Islands.
- Teka died in early 1985 of a heart attack in his room while waiting to perform at the Ruawai Tavern in Northland, and was survived by his wife Missy and daughters Davinia and Missy Jr. Missy died in 2008 as a result of a motor vehicle accident.
- He was nicknamed The Prince, but Tuhoe legend Tui Teka lived his life as the king of Maori entertainment.
- His mother played mouth organ and clarinet and his father was a saxophonist with a bush band deep in the heart of Tuhoe country.
- He was said to be playing guitar and saxophone by age three.
- As well as appearing on screen, Tui Teka sang on two tracks for classic Ronald Hugh Morrieson comedy Came A Hot Friday: the Stephen McCurdy composed songs 'Work for the Money' and 'Out in the Cold' (the latter is collected on Tui Teka compilation The Greatest).
- He was the ultimate showband performer, able to play a multitude of instruments, act, and sing anything from country and western and rock'n'roll to love ballads and waiata, interspersed with side-splitting comedy.
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