Media Release – FOR IMMEDIATE USE - Friday 22 September 2017
From Te Aio Productions
Maori Music Award Finalists bring unique show to Fringe Festival
Intrepid band survive flood to produce unique show
On 21 June, Auaha, released their album Te Pari o Auahatanga, The Flood of Inspiration. A collaboration that was
recorded over 8 days on and beside the Whanganui River; the album concept was hatched two years ago during a taonga
puoro wānanga (traditional Māori instrument workshop) in Whanganui. As students and teachers learned to make and play
instruments inside Rangahaua Marae, outside the Whanganui River was flooding, the worst flood in 100 years and as the
devastating impact of this event was revealed the album concept was born. The project included recording taonga puoro on
the Whanganui River and using the stunning environment and stories to inspire new compositions.
The resulting album included 12 original and eclectic tracks that drew on a range of influences including fusions of te
reo chant, rock, blues, soul and funk. Recordings of taonga puoro that were made in the environment while they were on
the river were interwoven throughout the album. The members of Auaha are Ariana Tikao, Alistair Fraser, Elise Goodge,
Matiu Bartlett, Brad McMillan, Sacha Keating and Te Paerata Tichbon. They are from different backgrounds musically, but
are drawn together by their common interest in taonga puoro (traditional Māori instruments). Group members come from
Whanganui, Wellington and Wairoa. Their river guide, Charles Ranginui of Te Ātihaunui-a-Papārangi, also contributed a
song to the album.
After 3 days journey the group alighted from the river and ensconced themselves at Koriniti Marae to complete recording
of the new tracks. As fate would have it though, the river began flooding again, and they had to make a hasty decision
to evacuate and relocate to Whanganui or risk being trapped at Koroniti for possibly weeks. Thanks to the generosity of
the Whanganui Musicians Club, Auaha were able to set up a new studio in their Drew’s Avenue facility and finish the
necessary recordings to complete the album.
Auaha have been performing live versions of these original compositions in Wellington, Kapiti and Whanganui where they
have delighted audiences with their ethereal sound. Radio New Zealand reviewed their Wellington Concert as “a textural
and hypnotic wonder.” Recently their intrepid journey and efforts were rewarded when they were announced as finalists in
the Waiata Māori Music Awards in the Traditional section.
“We were excited to travel to Hastings to attend the awards, we are even more excited to be returning shortly to perform
for the people of Hastings,” says project coordinator and musician Elise Goodge, “our show is family friendly, we just
love to share our taonga and puoro with others no matter what their age.”
Auaha will be performing as part of Fringe in the Stings on Friday 6 October at the Eastbourne. Tickets available now.
Listen to the album on Bandcamp.