Holi brings Christchurch together with colours

Christchurch's diversity will be celebrated at this year's Holi Festival of Colours, with a unique range of Indian-fusion performances.

Bhangra will mix with kapa haka, classical Indian dancers will combine with tap dancers and Bollywood tunes will blend with contemporary hits on March 21 at The Commons, Kilmore St.

Event co-organiser Hitesh Sharma says Holi is about "bringing everyone together and strengthening the community". A highlight of the Christchurch event is the throwing of powder colours, which traditionally symbolises everyone becoming equals, whether they are friends, foe or strangers.

These themes are the reason this year's organisers, Revel Events and the Indian Social and Cultural Club, wanted to bring Holi to Christchurch.

Holi 2015 focuses on "breaking boundaries" and showcasing the people of Canterbury, event co-organiser Sandeep Khanna says.

One of the main performances is a collaboration between the Abacus Bhangra Group and Ngāi Tahu's top kapa haka performers.

Rajwinder Singh, of the Abacus Bhangra Group, says: "People have seen bhangra before and they've seen kapa haka - but I don't think anyone has seen the two mixed together. It's going to be amazing."

Ana Buchanan, kapa haka leader, says the performance is about connecting with the Indian community, who are an important part of the whānau in Ōtautahi and Aotearoa.

Also taking to the stage will be the Tricolour Fusion Dance Group. One of the members, Sweety Thomas, says the group will dance to popular Hindi songs. "With Holi, all the powder colours mix together, so we wanted to do the same with our cultures here - connect them through music and dance."

Other performances will include a mix of the classical Indian dance form 'bharathanatyam'; tap dancers;

and the modern Canterbury Japanese Drum Group, Takumi.

In the colour-throwing zone, international DJs will get the crowd on their feet, while in another area people will be able to play traditional games, such as 'matki phod', where players form a human pyramid to reach a hanging clay pot filled with coloured yoghurt.

To add more spice to the day, Indian cuisine and refreshments will be on offer.

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