Etanah Lalau-Talapa's O le malamalama o le loto fa'amagalo (The light of forgiveness) is part of Te Ara i Whiti, the light trail at Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival.
Etanah Lalau-Talapa's O le malamalama o le loto fa'amagalo (The light of forgiveness) is part of Te Ara i Whiti, the light trail at Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival.
The Tairāwhiti Arts Festival Rā Season is proving to be as thought-provoking as it is awe-inspiring, and there are still four days to go.
Thousands of people have flocked to the beautiful Te Ara i Whiti – The Light Trail – on the city’s riverbanks, with over 10,000 wandering through on opening weekend.
Te Ara i Whiti curator Melanie Tangaere Baldwin says the feedback has been phenomenal.
“Everyone says it is better than our previous one, and that’s always our intention,” she said.
Among the thousands who have attended are many from out of town, including “important” Māori and Pacific artists who were here not just to enjoy the sculptures but also to tautoko (support) the artists taking part.
On Sunday evening a group of Samoan women were dancing on the platform of Etanah Lalau-Talapa’s piece.
“Beautiful, unexpected things happen here and it is so beautiful to see.”
The artists themselves were thriving in the manaakiatanga that was unique to Tairāwhiti and the festival. “It is unusual and unique what we offer here,” said Tangaere Baldwin.
“We are aiming for a nationally recognised high standard exhibition but without compromising anything of who we are to do that.”
Te Ara i Whiti is free for everyone and will be up until October 13.
Te Ara i Whiti is free for everyone and will be up until October 13. Photo / Karen Hadfield
Be Like Billy? and Tyna Keelan were both sell-outs to very enthusiastic and appreciative audiences. Rutene Spooner delivered his usual funny and entertaining banter in Be Like Billy? with plenty to take away and contemplate.
In launching his first album Otherside, Tyna Keelan gave the very vocal audience an insider’s view of his music and journey.
There are still some tickets available for the award-winning Savage Coloniser Show (October 10), which brings to life Tusiata Avia’s book in a very unforgiving and provocative way and manages to generate plenty of discussion every time it is performed.
ORO MĀIA (October 12-13) also has some tickets available. It’s a journey of words and discovery through poems by American storyteller and activist Dr Maya Angelou that have been translated into te reo Māori and will be spoken, sung and scored by standout artists Maisey Rika, Miriama McDowell, Mere Boynton, Erena Koopu, Tuakoi Ōhia and Maarire Brunning-Kouka.
The work of multi-dimensional artist Lindah Lepou is on display at the War Memorial Theatre between noon and 3pm daily through to October 13. Entry to Paper Series is free.
