YES! IT WENT OFF! Awesome gig!

"Kua tae ki te Wa" – the Time has Come
“An evening celebrating Matariki and honouring the Arawa women”

In our traditional Māori histories and herstories, Matariki epitomises a mother surrounded by her six daughters, while we acknowledge in other traditions and Polynesian societies there is the belief that Matariki is a male star.

In light of the upheaval which has beset many of us in Aotearoa New Zealand following the earthquakes in Christchurch and right around the Pacific, a passionate group of Te Arawa women felt the time has come – “Kua Tae Ki Te Wā” will be an evening of reclamation and celebration of Papatūānuku and her children to herald a time of growth, a time of change, a time of rebirth.

It is with our greatest pleasure we present to you an evening of celebrating Matariki and honouring an emerging group of the Arawa women who are making their mark on the local, regional and national stage!

In keeping with the Matariki constellation of the heavens, mothers of Te Arawa will honour some of the daughters of Te Arawa who have excelled in their fields of arts, music and kapa haka. Special awards ceremony will occur where Matariki (our mothers) will be surrounded by six daughters of Te Arawa, Tupu-ā-nuku, Tupu-ā-rangi, Waitī, Waitā,Waipuna-ā-rangi and Ururangi, and where six awards will be given for poetry, dance, art, weaving, kapahaka, modern music performance and leadership.

The centrepiece of our evening is to pay tribute to one of the greatest women performers of the past three decades, Betty-Anne Monga and her band which is an essential aspect of the essence of Ardijah, in turn motivating and encouraging the Arawa women to reach their highest potential in the arts & music industries.

Presenting:
Maisey Rika (Acoustic soul), Ria Hall (R&B singer, kapa haka exponent), Regan Balzer (Artist & Director), Miriama Hare (2011 Matatini Top Female kapa haka leader, singer), Chanz Mikaere (Artist & Poet) & Unit-Y (Hip Hop Group) & more...

Date: Thursday 23rd June 2011
Venue: The Distinction Rotorua, Fenton Street, Rotorua
Time: 3-5pm Stall & Exhibitions (free entry)
6-8pm Dinner & Awards
8: 30pm-11:00pm Concert

The evening concert will showcase new musical collaborations from “Ardijah & Te Arawa friends " and invite you to savour an evening of timeless, distinctive classic hits from their recently released 5th album, ‘the Best Poly Fonk!’

Price: $50 per adult (over 18yrs) Dinner & Concert
$15 per child (under 18) Dinner only
$30 per adult (over 18yrs) Concert only

There are also corporate tables available for businesses and companies. Rates include dinner & concert, reserved front seating, corporate name recognition, promotions and marketing space. Please email event coordinator.

Event Coordinator: the Ringahuia Hata / [email protected]

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=108912892528267&ref=ts

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The post Ardijah / Herbs, Waitangi Day, Karara Stadium, Gold Coast, Australia appeared first on Ardijah .

With much propaganda aimed against the Maori people for many years before, we are now, finally starting to taste the fruits of our labour and sacrifice, fighting for our true status in our own country, and in the partnership that was struck up many years ago by our Tupuna. (Ancestors) On the New Zealand code of arms shield, (found in a N. Z. passport) you will find a representative of the crown of England holding a flag, standing with a Maori chief holding a taiaha (weapon of war). So to me, this shows evidence of the partnership that the country should be represented by the 2 parties and with the 2 flags, the N. Z. flag and the Maori (Tino Rangatiratanga) flag. Why this Maori flag? Because this flag was the one that lead the struggle marches in the early days and there was also blood spilt on this flag. So, I think we owe it to those before us who lead the way to achieve what we have today. A day where we can celebrate our voice and our say! We are working on having one of the two flags on the Auckland Harbour Bridge as being this Maori flag. It's only fair. Australia has recognized the Aboriginal flag. Maori too, need to be officially recognised by the honouring of the ‘Treaty of Waitangi’. (The Contract). all good!

Now, about the gig. What made that gig for me was the look on the people's faces as they reminisced and sung along with each classic Herbs song that was performed. Back in the day, Herbs were one of our voices making that awareness of the wrongs being done in our part of the world such as, the French nuclear tests happening in the Pacific, and also the Maori rights issues in our own country. Back then, the band was look upon by some as being radical, but now that much time has past and history has been written on those issues, we all, do, have a lot to celebrate.

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2008 has been full on for Ardijah. The year went so quickly it was a bit scary. The big buzz for last year was hooking up with Herbs, another iconic group from Aotearoa's (New Zealand) early cassino online casino daze. A major influence for a lot of groups these daze, the band Herbs & their music is still alive and keepin'. And with Ardijah's rhythm section Ryan & Kaitapu Monga (Drums & Bass) joining up with Herbs, the grooves are PHAT! With the History and classic song list behind both bands, big things are predicted for the near future.

The post 2008-the end of an awesome year! appeared first on Ardijah .