It’s fitting Tairāwhiti is first to see the light given the success of Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival, according to chief executive and artistic director Tama Waipara.
“The foresight of Trust Tairāwhiti and Creative New Zealand to see the potential in amplifying our creative economy and celebrating the artists of our place is something I will always be grateful for,” says Waipara.
October marks the sixth annual festival and again it has a stellar line-up of music, cabaret, poetry, theatre, comedy and the arts.
Te Ara i Whiti, the light trail along the city’s riverbank, opens on October 4 and runs through to October 13. It’s a free, whānau-focused exhibit that continues to draw people in their thousands to wander through the sculptures, listen to music and enjoy the evening.
“Melanie Tangaere-Baldwin thoughtfully curates such a clever installation — a beautiful mix of artists with the expert knowledge of Angus Muir Design super-charging their already powerful creativity,” Waipara says.
Also on the opening night of the festival is Be Like Billy? from one of the region’s much-loved sons, Rutene Spooner (October 4-5). It’s cabaret, comedy, theatre and music all rolled into one and brings Spooner’s entertaining and funny art form, with something to take away to contemplate.
“I caught the premiere at Aronui Festival in Rotorua and it was a standing ovation, so get in quick!”
Acclaimed musician Tyna Keelan launches his new album Otherside (October 6) at an evening that will bring his acoustic soul sound to the stage.
“Our community know Tyna in many facets but this is a chance to celebrate him as the world-class artist he is,” Waipara says.
There will be plenty to think about from The Savage Coloniser Show (October 10). The award-winning production is fierce, furious and as unforgiving as it is provocative. “The show had rave reviews in Christchurch where many of the poems take aim. I saw the show in Wānaka and it was electrifying.”
ORO MĀIA is a journey of words and discovery through poems by American storyteller and activist Dr Maya Angelou translated into te reo Māori and spoken, sung and scored by stand-out artists Maisey Rika, Miraiama McDowell, Mere Boynton, Erena Koopu, Tuakoi Ōhia and Maarire Brunning-Kouka.
For Waipara, the festival is a time of pride and celebration.
“I am so proud of the way our community wraps around the festival,” he says. “I have always believed in the power of our artists and the depth of our communities. Everyone who has contributed, past and present, is woven into the layers of what it has become.”
“Our region has faced intense disruption and devastation but the power of the community helps to inform and determine what the festival can be.”
Waipara holds tight to words from the late Tuta Ngarimu. “He once said ‘what this place needs is a love bomb’ ... those words and that intention is never far from my mind.”
He loves to challenge the thinking of festival-goers. “That is the role of the artist — to reveal and respond to the world around us, and provide safe passage with issues or concepts that are tricky to navigate in the every day. ”
- Tairāwhiti Arts Festival
The details
What: Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival
When: October 4-13, 2024
More info: tetairawhitiartsfestival.nz
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