Sounds Of The World

Sounds Of The World At The Porirua Festival Of The Elements

Music, dance and entertainment from around the world will be celebrated at this year’s Festival of the Elements in Porirua on February 6.

The massive, free, day-long festival has become one of the country’s biggest Waitangi Day celebrations, attracting around 30,000 people last year.
More than 1000 multi-cultural artists and performers will gather for an exhilarating extravaganza of arts and culture, reflecting New Zealand’s growing cultural diversity made possible by the Treaty of Waitangi.
Festival Chairman Bob Cater says the range of entertainment is enormous, with performers representing cultures from across the globe.

“This really is a smorgasbord of world music and artistry…There is absolutely something for everyone here.”

Governor General, the Honourable Anand Satyanand, will visit the festival as he enjoys his first Waitangi Day in the role.

Here’s a taste of what the Festival of the Elements has to offer

• At Te Rauparaha Park,

The park in central Porirua City is the heart of the festival, where MC Gary McCormick hosts non-stop entertainment on a main stage.
Included in the line-up is Yiddish group the Klezmer Rebs, a Sri Lankan dance group, Kapa Haka performers, Persian music, Ceroc stars, Chinese songs and dragon dance and Bollywood entertainers. (see Programme)

The festival will start at 10am with a Karakia and Mihi on the main stage before the performers begin.

The entertainment then rocks into the night with a strong line-up of headline acts including kiwi music trio SIRENZ, funky virtuoso violinist Elena, internationally acclaimed quartet The Musical Island Boys and TV singing star Ben Hazlewood.

Also on the park will be the Ewe to You challenge, in which four groups of craftspeople will have a day to turn a pile of raw dyed sheep’s wool into a wearable garment.
As well World record holding bubble maker Alan McKay will be creating bubble mania and the ever popular Sculpture from Recycled Trash competition is back, in which artists compete against the clock and each other to create the most innovative design from a pile of other people’s rubbish. As well there will be funfair rides and food and craft stalls.

The festival concludes with a spectacular fireworks display at around 9.30pm.

• At Pataka Museum and Gallery

Artists and musicians will fill every available performing space in Pataka during the Festival of the Elements.

In the Spine, which runs through the Gallery and Museum, a range of artists will be demonstrating their skills, including colourful Cook Island Quilt Making (Tivaevae), Japanese flower arranging (Ikehbana) and contemporary artists from the LoveArt collective.

In the Community Room, Gamelan Padhang Moncar with puppet master Dr Joko Susilo will present Javanese shadow puppet theatre with gamelan accompaniment from 11.15am.

Gamelan Padhang Moncar is an Indonesian (Javanese) percussion orchestra, based at Victoria University's Music School in Wellington, New Zealand.

Then from 12.45pm until around 6pm a huge range of artists with entertain in the Performing Arts Space and Bottle Creek Gallery. (See Programme)

Among the highlights will be trumpet diva Edwina Thorne, Wellington duo Pearl (fresh from opening for Elton John), acclaimed poet Tusiata Avia, traditional and contemporary Irish music from Greenink and a number of young, talented musicians.

• At the Porirua Recreation Centre

It’s the kid’s turn at the recreation centre where the Kapi Mana Art Action! lays on a full-day of free entertainment and workshops for youngsters aged under 13..

The hugely popular event incorporates children’s entertainment alongside a huge range of workshops, including fencing, rock climbing, stone carving, face painting, mosaics, cartooning and jewellery making.(see Programme)

• At the Porirua Skateboard Park

The Porirua Skate Jam, sponsored by DVS, will feature a host of top kiwi skaters, including professional skater Bennett Field.
He’ll be running a ‘learn to skate’ session from 9.30 to 10.30am at the skate park. Formerly from Titahi Bay, Field now lives and skates in Australia.
Then from 12pm skaters will do battle across three divisions; 10 and under, 10 to 16 years and Open. The Open competition has a prize pool of $1,500 and there will be a huge range of spot prizes including skate shoes, clothes and decks.
A grandstand will be in place to ensure spectators have a good view of the action.

• At the Porirua Aquatic Centre

Admission to the pool will be just $2 all day and a range of inflatables will be in the pool.
As well bubble-maker extraordinaire and world record holder Alan McKay will be attempting to create an enormous underwater bubble for someone to swim into.
And back by popular demand is the aerial artist known as White Swan who will be performing her high flying stunts above the pool at 11am, 1pm and 3pm.

• At Elsdon Park

The park on Titahi Bay Road and the skies above will be taken over by the New Zealand Kite Flyers Association, with members showing off their giant kites. These kites are so big they have to be held in place by vehicles.

ENDS

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