Outback Down Under
Aboriginal and Maori
Indigenous Hip Hop
Thursday 30th October 2003
Bar Bodega, Wellington
Friday 31st October 2003
Galatos, Auckland
Doors open 9 PM.
$15 on the door.
Featuring:
ABORIGINAL ARTISTS
Local Knowledge
Gudabah
free.B
MAORI ARTISTS
Upper Hutt Posse
Native Sons
Nat Rose
Medical Clan feat. MC 11
MCB.Me & Jamila
Outback Down Under - Aboriginal and Maori - Indigenous hip hop
An indigenous uprising will hit Wellington at Bar Bodega on Thursday 30th October and Auckland at Galatos on Friday
October 31st, when Aboriginal hip hop crews Local Knowledge, Gudabah, and free.B, along with Maori hip hop
revolutionaries Upper Hutt Posse and other assorted conscious artists take to the stage to celebrate indigenous
resistance to colonisation.
"As the warmongering against indigenous peoples continues, and as our perspectives and ideas are continually
trivialised…, events like this are happening for us to celebrate our existence, for us to strengthen the resolve to end
racism and to end oppression…”
- Dean Hapeta (aka D Word, aka Te Kupu) of Upper
Hutt Posse
The gig celebrates indigenous resistance to colonisation and coincides with the week that the Declaration of
Independence 1835 was signed at Waitangi.
The Declaration of Independence, signed in October 1835, was a pre-runner to the Treaty of Waitangi, declaring Aotearoa
an independent country. It stated that all sovereign power and authority would reside with the Indigenous tribes.
The Declaration's signatories agreed to meet at Waitangi in the autumn of every year to frame laws for the peace and
good order of the country.
The organisation spearheading this cultural and political exchange is Te Kawau Maro:
"The gig is an indigenous conscious kaupapa between Aboriginal and Maori, continuing a long tradition of politically and
actively working together. It is also an opportunity for the two indigenous groups to collaborate more closely, and to
raise our struggle by utilising those skills and talents that we have been gifted. It is an opportunity to focus
energies on indigenous peoples down under, therefore it is a kaupapa gig, politically focused and motivated by political
people."
* Tauni Ngatai-Sinclair
About the groups
Local Knowledge
Local Knowledge was conceived in March 2002, and is composed of lyricist brothers Abie and Warrick (Wok) Wright
alongside turntablist and producer Joel Wenitong-Rios (aka DJ Weno).
Their party rockin’ hip hop carries a message of pride, identity and self-determination, and Local Knowledge are as well
known in their local community for their involvement in Indigenous causes as they are for their music.
Aiming to teach people about Aboriginal issues through intelligent rap, Local Knowledge "tell it like it was, how it is
and how it should be".
Gudabah
Fresh Murris from the Cairns scene; Astro, Allan, and Mo make up Gudabah, an Aboriginal reggae-rhythm-rock-rap crew.
Also skilled in traditional Aboriginal dance and song, the trio have performed around Australia and Asia, with Astro
recently appearing in New York.
free.B
A Goori actor/rapper of Dunghutti nation, free.B is also a traditional dancer and has performed live locally, as well as
at national Australian festivals and in Japan.
Upper Hutt Posse
Since their inception as a reggae band in 1985, the Posse have been fighting racial injustice through their music.
In 1988 they released Aotearoa's first rap record, 'E Tu' and with it they defined themselves as one of Maori youth's
most relevant voices, and more than that, a voice for the youth of Aotearoa, and all those who see the need for change.
3 albums, 11 singles and 11 music video clips later, Upper Hutt Posse have performed throughout Aotearoa and the world
always bringing a strong political consciousness combined with some of the most innovative music heard from this
country.
See www.tekupu.com for more info.
Native Sons
Established in 1994, the 8 piece band play reggae flavours with a hip hop baseline while an MC and DJ take care of
business.
Their lyrical content is focused on the struggle for Maori Independence and Sovereignty.
Nat Rose
Starting out in 1999 - Nat and her Crew now blend fresh hip hop with soulful melodic rhythms.
Medical Clan feat. MC 11
Born in the new millennium, their phat'n heavy hip hop
beats strike home the socially and politically conscious message of Rangatahi Maori.
MCB.Me & Jamila
Singing and rhyming from politically conscious sista's enhanced by smooth blues and lounge harmonies.
THE ORGANISERS
Te Kawau Maro was conceived in 1993 on the Tamaki Auckland Campus and is comprised of global thinking, local acting,
grass roots, student activists.
Their influences are Rewi Maniapoto - Te Kooti - Che Guevara, the Zapatistas and any other revolutionary comrades raging
against the machine.
Indigenous rights activists, social economists, legal advocates, forum & event organisers, global networkers of Indigenous Peoples – are all strong components of this specialist membership.
TKM
For further information contact
Tauni-Ngatai Sinclair
021 181 2942
or
Dean Hapeta aka Te Kupu
matakahi@paradise.net.nz
021 129 5531
Ends.