Seven Sisters, Seven Brothers rise for Matariki
Seven Sisters, Seven Brothers rise for Matariki
Join Wellington City Council as we celebrate Matariki with two performances showcasing emerging and renowned Māori and Pacific performers over two nights at the Wellington Opera House.
The stellar lineup
for the Seven Sisters concert includes Mere Boynton, Vanessa
Stacey, Te Kahureremoa Taumata, Mo Ete, Adele Riwai, Keely
Turuwhenua and Sianne Dougherty.
The Seven Brothers
features an equally impressive array of talent with Tunes of
I, Modern Māori Quartet, Rei, Matt Tui and Nofo Lameko all
hitting the Opera House stage.
Karaoke Queen, artist and events coordinator for the Council, Suzanne Tamaki feels right at home with performers, musicians and artists.
“There is so much talent here in Aotearoa and
connecting these Māori and Pacific artists is a privilege.
It’s great to see Wellington City Council getting behind
Matariki and watching these celebrations
grow.”
Matariki is the Māori name for the group of
stars also known as the Pleiades or The Seven Sisters and is
marked by the rise of Matariki and sighting of the next new
moon.
A time of festivity for Māori, the tangata whenua
or first people of the land, Matariki occurs around
mid-June. What better way to celebrate the Māori new year
than with two concerts showcasing some of the best talent
New Zealand has to offer – for free.
With over 100
events taking place in the Greater Wellington Region for
Matariki 2015, these are two shows you need to put on your
calendar. The Seven Sisters Concert takes place 30 June,
6.30pm–8.30pm. Seven Brothers follows on 1
July,6.30pm–8.30pm both at Wellington Opera House. Entry
to both is free.
Mere Tokorahi Boynton is a singer
and actor, who draws on her experience in Māori performing
arts and music. Mere has developed a style of singing that
draws on her classical training and her taha
Māori.
Singer/songwriter Keely Turuwhenua started her
career busking and now performs in some of Wellington’s
finest venues. Her unique mash-up of guitar playing, lyrics,
beautiful vocals and casual banter will keep you wanting
more.
Hailing from different corners of Aotearoa, the Modern Māori Quartet – James Tito, Maaka Pohatu, Matariki Whatarau and Francis Kora – come together for an evening filled with waiata, humour and charm.
Nofo Lameko is male lead vocalist for soul funk band Steezin' Hawkings and will be dishing out some acoustic soul for Seven Brothers. He competed in this year’s X Factor, making it to the top 12.
Economic Growth and Arts portfolio leader Councillor Ray Ahipene-Mercer says: “Not only is the Council putting on two concerts to hail in the Māori New Year but they are commissioning a new public artwork, WAITUHI 2015, as part of this year’s Matariki festivities, bringing art to the streets and to the people.”
Wharehoka Smith is an Artist and Designer of Taranaki Tuturu (Taranaki Te Ati Awa Nga Ruahine Tau Iwi). In 1978, Wharehoka Smith pursued an interest in Toi Māori by returning to Parihaka, his ancestral pā, and participated in a carving project under the tutelage of Greg Whakataka Matahi Brightwell.
Wharehoka believes that Toi Māori communicates successfully across cultures at an art and design level in a modern context.
“It is a beautiful living heritage and I hope that this artwork will achieve its potential to visually represent Matauranga Māori, individuality and the collective which is Tikanga Māori and New Zealand.”
Wharehoka is developing a range of Toi Māori inspired interior and exterior architectural and design products, which acknowledge Tikanga and Matauranga Māori.
The location for this new public artwork is Jervois Quay, under the City to Sea Bridge. Wharehoka Smith’s work will be installed later this month– so keep a look out.
ENDS