Measina Festival showcases Pacific dance and theatre

25 November 2016

Measina Festival showcases Pacific dance and theatre at Pātaka

The Measina Festival is taking place at Pātaka Art + Museum from 30 November to 3 December, with stunning performers from Aotearoa celebrating Pacific culture and heritage through dance, music, and theatre.

Pātaka Director Rueben Friend said the opening night on Wednesday 30 November is a free, whānau-friendly event, which will run from 6.30pm to 10pm. “The evening will highlight powerful excerpts from each festival show, offering people the opportunity to experience multiple high-quality performances in one event,” he said.

“It’ll also be a chance to sample all of the events on offer, with seven different performance groups each performing two or three shows during the first three days of December,” said Mr Friend.

What’s on – dance

• Wearing my map (Sunameke) – combining Melanesian forms of dance with an evocative video narrative designed to place Melanesian presence within Polynesia

• Manu (Taofi Mose-Tuiloma) – a contemporary dance interpretation of ancestral language explored through bird-like movement in a contemporary Samoan context.

• Shel We? (Those Guys) – a witty dance piece with strong rhythmic sequences, interspersed with slapstick shenanigans and the use of several props.

• Aumaga (Le Moana) – explores the world of the untitled mens’ collective, the Aumaga and the spaces inhabited by the ‘untitled’ men of the village, through their service and commitment to family and culture.

What’s on – theatre

• Thirsty (Ali Foa’i) – a series of gritty stories and characters of Polynesian youth in today’s Tamaki Makaurau Auckland.

• Le Moana (Purple Onion) – inspired by the stories of Pasi Daniels (original owner of the Purple Onion nightclub) and Carmen this piece peeps into the world of Wellington’s infamous burlesque parlour, the Purple Onion.

• Talofa Papa (Kasiano Mita) – physical theatre that weaves together themes of the early Samoan diaspora, offering captivating interactive entertainment for all ages.

For more information about the performances or to make a booking, visit the Measina Festival website: https://measinafestival.org/

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