After a busy day I looked forward to sitting back and letting creativity and brilliance wash over me at my last WORD Festival Event. This is Confluence, “a celebration of Moana-nui-a-kiwa connections” with music, poetry and korero from Māori and Pacific performing artists.
The incredible Daisy Speaks welcomed us. Just as in the event I attended on Friday she opened with some words on the passing of Kiingi Tuheitia. One of the famous quotes she read from Tuheitia really resonated with me, reminding me why everyone was here tonight:
“The best protest we can make right now is being Māori. Be who we are. Live our values. Speak our reo. Care for our mokopuna, our awa, our maunga. Just be Māori. Be Māori all day, every day. We are here. We are strong.”
Isla Huia (Te Āti Haunui a-Pāpārangi, Uenuku) was the first poet to the stage, gracing us with two new poems and an old favourite. I wrote about her for WORD Christchurch 23, and she has just kept improving since. I found what she shared on performing old poems insightful. They can be embarrassing to read, but you must remember you wrote them for a purpose, and they will always retain that purpose.
I can’t talk about this event without describing the atmosphere, because it was so key to the whole evening. The stage was beautifully decorated – with weaving and garlands, a table of the artist’s books. The lights were low and warm, like an evening living room. Between each set the fantastic Judah band would groove, while Daisy asked the audience to reflect on the previous performance with whoever was sitting next to them. I found this such a relief, because after each set, I would usually need a little cry or to gasp in excitement with my neighbour.
One of the poets I was interested to hear was Faith Wilson, founder of Saufo’i Press. She is a prolific editor and publisher, but in my pre-word festival research I was struggling to find much writing by her. I was blown away by her performance. Her poems focused on feelings of home, family, connection, and deep grief. Daisy aptly described her as having a “beautiful vulnerability”.
Tayi Tibble (Ngāti Porou/Te Whānau ā Apanui) was the final poet of the evening. She has been one of my faves for a long time, but this was my first time seeing her live. Every photo I’ve seen of her she was always a fashion icon, and she did not disappoint. Gold hoops, shimmery one-shoulder mini dress and knee-high boots. She looked just like the art on the cover of her books. She read poems from her collections and a new love poem. She was really embarrassed about reading something romantic, but I thought it was so cute.
The evening closed with some songs by Hone, a 20-year-old breakout hit from New Brighton. He’s gone viral on TikTok and now has over a million streams on his first song Don’t You Remember. I’ve heard all his songs so many times, but I had no idea they were made by someone just down the road! Afterwards everyone got to stay for a chat with the artists and new and old friends. It was a lovely experience, and a beautiful wind-down to the hecticness of WORD Christchurch Festival.
Ngā mihi
Arwen
Photos from Confluence
Photos from the Confluence performance
More from the Confluence performers
- Books by Isla Huia
- Books by Tayi Tibble
More WORD Christchurch
- WORD Christchurch website
- Follow WORD Christchurch on Instagram, Facebook and X FKA Twitter
- Our WORD Christchurch 2024 page - event reports and books by Festival writers
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