NZ Music Month

Yes that's right May is here and it's NZ Music Month...

What is NZ Music Month?

NZ Music Month began back in 2001 when, despite the good music that was out there, Kiwi tunes were woefully under-represented on our airwaves, TV screens, and charts – barely reaching a double-digit percentage of content on air. Aiming to correct this reliance on imported music, NZ Music Month gave our media a chance to showcase homegrown talent that may not normally have reached the public. In the process a bunch of stars were uncovered, and New Zealanders' taste for their own musical heroes confirmed. Over the past couple of years the focus has moved to include the public as much as possible in what has become a truly national celebration of our favourite artists.
NZ Music Month is a partnership between the NZ Music Commission and a number of other organisations including songwriters' association APRA, Independent Music NZ, NZ On Air, the Radio Broadcasters Association and the Recording Industry Association of NZ. Whether they are hearing Kiwi music on the radio, seeing it on TV, or – better still – live in person, New Zealanders across the country experience more of our very own homegrown talent on our airwaves and stages throughout the month, showing their support for local music by coming to one of the official events, buying a Kiwi CD, attending one of the hundreds of other gigs that take place, or pulling on a NZ Music Month t-shirt from Hallensteins.
So this May check out our gig guide (thanks to Mukuna) to see what's going on all around the country, hit up your local record store for new releases or shop online, start soaking up the massive amount of local tuneage that'll be all over TV and radio in coming weeks!

My Vaka, My Waka, My Va'a

Another new poem,
This talks about journeys of those polynesians who travelled from island to island. Searching for new land, new homes. This also reflects of My Vaka and where I have travelled and future sites..
enjoy.



My Vaka, My Waka, My Va'a
carries my ola from mystical shores
as far as the east
as deep as the south

My Vaka, My Waka, My Va'a
is of wood from the motherland Samoa and Tonga
an island surrounded by wild fish,
Exotic perfumed flowers growing towards the la

My Vaka, My Waka, My Va'a
carries the hopes and dreams of my people
in search of more land,
in search of new homes,
following the bright stars

My Vaka, My Waka, My Va'a
arrives to a place of the Long white cloud...
where my aiga nestles in the nu'u of Magele, Aucklani
metal vechicles puff out black smoke and drive on painted cement and rail way lines.

My Vaka, My Waka, My Va'a
I carry in me. I am the canoe that floats amongst the streets of Aukalani
I have three baskets for all my journeys
A basket full of aiga for support in doubtful moments
A basket full of culture tattooed on my left arm
A basket full of alofa for moments where love does not exist at all

My Vaka, My Waka, My Va'a
Follows the stars of polynesian sky
Travelling back and forth to the Nu'u of Wellintoni , Nelsoni and back to Aukalani
Breathing in the cultural richness of the diversities in others
Appericating my lines of culture and all that it has to offer.

Crossed Cultures: Blackmail Press Launch

Friday 18th April 2008

Friends, family and poetry lovers joinned us for the launch of "Crossed Cultures", a Blackmail Press special issue.

Blackmail Press, edited by Doug Poole (Samoan and European descent) is a dedicated e-zine dedicated to spreading the voice of established emerging poets.

The Crossed Cutlures issue, guest editied by Renee Liang, is an exploration of the diverse voices heard in our international community today, 47 poets from 15 countries explore the theme of crossing cultures, weaving a tapestry of shared experience and reaching out over cultura divides.

A fab evening of poetry. It was my first ever poetry performace as well, so I was really nervous. Kicked off with DJ Kamali - who sung. He totally rocks, and then followed by Doug sharing a few words and making the official Launch! I'm looking forward to out next poetry performance, it was really inspiring.

Thanks to my possie: Katie, Susie, Karen, Samantha, & Johnny for coming along - you guys rock! Next time remember to bring the Banners! lol