Mana Moana: ‘I love Aotearoa and the Pacific, thank you for letting me serve as your Arts Minister’

Former Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni with Partner, Owner of Metita Pacific Cuisine, Kieran Meredith, Barbara Edmonds.

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Outgoing Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni gracefully ended her tenure as Minister of Arts, Culture & Heritage at the Mana Moana concert, which was culturally rich in entertainment.

The former incumbent took on the NZSO six years ago, where Sepuloni laid out expectations for diversifying its audience and working with communities it hadn’t traditionally worked with.

The NZSO's Mana Moana concert took place at the Spark Arena on Friday night.

Some criticised the former arts minister for being a “racist” who chose Maori and Pacific arts over opera, Shakespeare, and other Western arts.

“It was never about one or the other for me; in fact, I love it all.

“We continued to support all investment in Matatini and Pasifika festivals, and collaborations like this were long overdue.”

That was evident at the Spark Arena, where thousands of people fled from all over New Zealand, amplifying diversity.

“After the first Mana Moana concert in Wellington, they spoke to me about the positive impact that the collaboration had on the NSZO team.

“To their credit, they absolutely embraced the challenge.”

Many elders were seen dancing in the aisles, including a security guard who broke into his traditional dance before quickly returning to his work, says Sepuloni

This is rare, especially in orchestral music shows, which are graceful.

Mana Moana: A Fusion of Symphony of the Pacific joined the sounds of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and a hand-picked Signature Choir, showing off a unique take on Pasefika musika.

Mana Moana is a fusion of two musical worlds colliding on stage, with 80 choral singers and 78 NZSO musicians.

Sepuloni believes this is important because it unites Aotearoa and makes Pasifika feel valued and recognised.

“It homes in on what makes Aotearoa and the Pacific unique.”

Sepuloni says it provides a tangible demonstration of working together and “how we can traverse, work with, and infiltrate the highest traditional Western constructs”.

“Our children can see that the NZSO isn’t someone else’s; it’s ours as well.

“It helps all of us to be able to think outside of what has been the perceived norm for so many years.”

“Last night was a beautiful example of what that looks like, an amazing Pasifika choir of around 80 people, singing alongside the NZSO to a packed-out, 7000-strong audience.”

Wellington's Signature Choir joined forces with the NZ Symphony Orchestra to bring a unique Pasifika music show to Auckland's Spark Arena. Photo / Signature Choir

The Mana Moana project was curated by Helen Tupa’i, music director of Signature Choir, in partnership with Wellington’s Pasifika communities and orchestrated by composer and arranger Thomas Goss.

The music director says the Pacific language is beautiful with its various nuances.

“For our non-Pacific peoples, orchestral music is usually seen as a European thing, but fusing it together with our Pacific music is a world first.

“It took some convincing with the NZSO, particularly on the financial investment side of things.

“But our people proved that by showing up the first time in Wellington, and after that show, they were convinced.”

Disabled people are the other community Sepuloni believes has seen a much more concerted approach to access from across the arts sector.

“We all win when this happens; I genuinely hope it continues.”

Sepuloni says, “I love Aotearoa and the Pacific. Thank you so much for letting me serve as your arts minister.”

Carmel Sepuloni: “Our children can see that the NZSO isn’t someone else’s; it’s ours as well." Photo / Hayden Woodward