Latest news with #Sāmoan
Scoop
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Ode To Ōtara: A Symphony Of Hope, Culture And Call For Support
Article – Mary Afemata – Local Democracy Reporter Beethoven's 'Ode to Joy' was written centuries ago, but this week it became a powerful celebration of unity through music, bringing together youth as they rehearsed for an upcoming concert with the Auckland Philharmonia and the Sāmoan music education initiative, Sol Fa. Dozens of young musicians performed 'Ode to Joy' at a Sistema Aotearoa rehearsal, welcoming Arts Minister Paul Goldsmith to Ōtara's Music and Arts Centre on Tuesday. The rehearsal was part of the lead-up to their annual 'Pese! Fasi! Pūoro!' concert and provided Goldsmith with insight into the talent, discipline, and pride of South Auckland. However, when asked about increasing government investment in community arts, the minister was cautious. 'It's amazing to be out here and to see the smiling little faces as they're exposed to the wonderful world of music,' Goldsmith says. 'There are few greater things than being part of a group making music together. 'We can't walk in with a chequebook and throw money around. We're maintaining arts funding in a very tough environment, and we're encouraging agencies to invest widely, from professionals to grassroots groups like this.' Sistema Aotearoa, which partners with over 60 South Auckland schools to provide free orchestral education, is widely celebrated for its impact on tamariki. But board member Tasha Hohaia says the programme's success has been achieved despite limited resources. 'We make magic happen with the little we have. And with just a little bit more, we could reach more,' Hohaia says. 'It's critical to have Māori and Pasifika whānau supported in classical music. We have so much to offer the world.' Iain Rea, General Manager for Sistema Aotearoa, says the programme goes beyond music education. 'Sistema Aotearoa is much more than a music programme, it's also about community development and the programme has been going for almost 15 years. It's hugely supported by the community, it's as much about community building as it is about music.' One example is Reece Ferrer, 19, who joined Sistema Aotearoa as a child and is now a tutor. 'I joined when I was five, so that was back in 2013. I currently do midwifery at AUT, but I've been with Sistema basically for 14 years. Sistema to me is much more than a music programme. 'It helped me build my social skills and helped me connect with the community in Aotearoa.' Ferrer, who learned the violin and flute, has forged connections with fellow students through Sistema Aotearoa, and is now giving back to her community as a young adult. For parents like Terry Filipo, whose son plays the violin, the change is deeply personal. Filipo's son is a Year Four student at Flatbush School, and she hopes he will gain discipline and self-belief from the programme. Filipo says the programme exposes children like her son to new spaces. 'I look at my son and see a future that's more open because of exposure to classical music. It's an investment, not just in music, but in how our kids see the world. 'It's a practice. Whether it's a sport or an instrument, you learn commitment, and that progress follows discipline. 'It's a type of cultural exchange, which is important not just musically and not just skill-wise but their perspective … it's allowing them to expand on their worldview even as young people.' Filipo stresses the need for government funding and support. 'It's extremely important … Without the funding and without the support that Aotearoa Sistema gets, children that come from certain areas … may not go to schools [with access to] this type of music or even this type of culture.' 'It is an investment, even for our music industry. We have so much to contribute … We don't support small, we support big.' Rene's son has participated in the Sistema Aotearoa programme for three years, starting in Year Two. He plays the cello, and Rene believes the opportunity might not have come without it. She says the programme teaches more than just music; it nurtures confidence and opens doors. She adds that the programme fosters engagement and uncovers hidden talents, strongly endorsing the initiative. 'I think without the awareness of the programme, it may not have been an opportunity that he would have pursued. 'I think it's very crucial, opening up their eyes to different opportunities, different disciplines. So it's not just about the musical ability, but it offers a wide range of, I guess, perspective and life lessons as well that they can carry through to other areas of their lives. 'It's much better to have our kids engaging in this kind of activity rather than on the couch and so forth.' William Kingi, Sistema Aotearoa's youth adviser, says the programme opens doors that would otherwise remain closed to rangatahi. 'Even though this community is under-resourced, we're culturally rich. Classical music allows our kids to participate in spaces that might feel foreign, but instead, they feel like they belong. 'Sistema helps level the playing field. Not a lot, but just enough to change a life.' That potential was visible during the rehearsal, as students beamed with pride while performing for their families and friends.
Scoop
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Ode To Ōtara: A Symphony Of Hope, Culture And Call For Support
Beethoven's 'Ode to Joy' was written centuries ago, but this week it became a powerful celebration of unity through music, bringing together youth as they rehearsed for an upcoming concert with the Auckland Philharmonia and the Sāmoan music education initiative, Sol Fa. Dozens of young musicians performed 'Ode to Joy' at a Sistema Aotearoa rehearsal, welcoming Arts Minister Paul Goldsmith to Ōtara's Music and Arts Centre on Tuesday. The rehearsal was part of the lead-up to their annual "Pese! Fasi! Pūoro!" concert and provided Goldsmith with insight into the talent, discipline, and pride of South Auckland. However, when asked about increasing government investment in community arts, the minister was cautious. "It's amazing to be out here and to see the smiling little faces as they're exposed to the wonderful world of music," Goldsmith says. "There are few greater things than being part of a group making music together. "We can't walk in with a chequebook and throw money around. We're maintaining arts funding in a very tough environment, and we're encouraging agencies to invest widely, from professionals to grassroots groups like this." Sistema Aotearoa, which partners with over 60 South Auckland schools to provide free orchestral education, is widely celebrated for its impact on tamariki. But board member Tasha Hohaia says the programme's success has been achieved despite limited resources. "We make magic happen with the little we have. And with just a little bit more, we could reach more," Hohaia says. "It's critical to have Māori and Pasifika whānau supported in classical music. We have so much to offer the world." Iain Rea, General Manager for Sistema Aotearoa, says the programme goes beyond music education. 'Sistema Aotearoa is much more than a music programme, it's also about community development and the programme has been going for almost 15 years. It's hugely supported by the community, it's as much about community building as it is about music.' One example is Reece Ferrer, 19, who joined Sistema Aotearoa as a child and is now a tutor. 'I joined when I was five, so that was back in 2013. I currently do midwifery at AUT, but I've been with Sistema basically for 14 years. Sistema to me is much more than a music programme. 'It helped me build my social skills and helped me connect with the community in Aotearoa.' Ferrer, who learned the violin and flute, has forged connections with fellow students through Sistema Aotearoa, and is now giving back to her community as a young adult. For parents like Terry Filipo, whose son plays the violin, the change is deeply personal. Filipo's son is a Year Four student at Flatbush School, and she hopes he will gain discipline and self-belief from the programme. Filipo says the programme exposes children like her son to new spaces. "I look at my son and see a future that's more open because of exposure to classical music. It's an investment, not just in music, but in how our kids see the world. 'It's a practice. Whether it's a sport or an instrument, you learn commitment, and that progress follows discipline. 'It's a type of cultural exchange, which is important not just musically and not just skill-wise but their perspective … it's allowing them to expand on their worldview even as young people.' Filipo stresses the need for government funding and support. 'It's extremely important … Without the funding and without the support that Aotearoa Sistema gets, children that come from certain areas … may not go to schools [with access to] this type of music or even this type of culture.' 'It is an investment, even for our music industry. We have so much to contribute … We don't support small, we support big.' Rene's son has participated in the Sistema Aotearoa programme for three years, starting in Year Two. He plays the cello, and Rene believes the opportunity might not have come without it. She says the programme teaches more than just music; it nurtures confidence and opens doors. She adds that the programme fosters engagement and uncovers hidden talents, strongly endorsing the initiative. 'I think without the awareness of the programme, it may not have been an opportunity that he would have pursued. 'I think it's very crucial, opening up their eyes to different opportunities, different disciplines. So it's not just about the musical ability, but it offers a wide range of, I guess, perspective and life lessons as well that they can carry through to other areas of their lives. 'It's much better to have our kids engaging in this kind of activity rather than on the couch and so forth.' William Kingi, Sistema Aotearoa's youth adviser, says the programme opens doors that would otherwise remain closed to rangatahi. "Even though this community is under-resourced, we're culturally rich. Classical music allows our kids to participate in spaces that might feel foreign, but instead, they feel like they belong. "Sistema helps level the playing field. Not a lot, but just enough to change a life." That potential was visible during the rehearsal, as students beamed with pride while performing for their families and friends.
RNZ News
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Director Ursula Grace Williams on the making of Marlon Williams: Nga Ao E Rua
This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions. Grace Williams doesn't whakapapa Māori, but says her Sāmoan roots give her insight into the loss of an ancestral language - and that made her deeply invested in Marlon's journey. Photo: David St George The documentary, Marlon Williams: Ngā Ao E Rua - Two Worlds , follows Marlon Williams (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāi Tai) over four years as he reconnects with his whakapapa, embraces te reo Māori and writes and records his first full album in te reo, Te Whare Tīwekaweka . Tony Stamp speaks with Ursula Grace Williams, the director of the new feature documentary, about how it came to be, what it took to make, and what it means to her. See the trailer for the Documentary here:
RNZ News
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
How far can a 'cheeky' seal travel? Find out in this new children's book
Author Shelley Burne-Field (Sāmoa, Ngati Mutunga, Ngati Rārua, Pākehā) Photo: supplied Hawke's Bay author Shelley Burne-Field has written her newest book with heaps of heart for young readers. Kimi the Kekeno's Big Adventure , released on Tuesday, takes readers on an underwater journey from bottom-to-top of New Zealand's East-Coast. The story itself was drawn from a true story of a seal that entered a marine biologist's Mt Manganui home through a cat door, as well as her visit to the Cape Palliser Lighthouse in Wairarapa where she saw a colony of seals and her creative mind wandered. "Yes, they're wild animals but they could be kurī (dogs) - just sort of lying there in the sun - they're just so funny and in my brain, I sort of put that stuff together and the story just came out," she said. But what's a story without tension? How does Kimi the kekeno get around a hammerhead shark named Kuru and a taniwha, in this case a squid? The children's book uses age-appropriate te reo Māori kupu (words) with the translation in the glossary. Burne-Field said it was important for her to include te reo in any story set in Aotearoa New Zealand, especially when describing natural scenery and animals. She credited illustrator Mat Tait for visually telling the story. "He captured the cheekiness of the seals, of the kekeno, and the feeling of the beautiful turquoise deep feeling of being under the sea." Kimi the Kekeno's Big Adventure is out on 29 April Photo: Supplied This will be her second children's book. Her first, Brave Kāhu and the Pōrangi Magpie, was shortlisted in the 2025 NZ Booklovers Awards for Best Junior Fiction - which Tait also illustrated. Burne-Field (Sāmoa, Ngati Mutunga, Ngati Rārua, Pākehā) pulls from her Māori and Sāmoan whakapapa to write, her path of discovering her Māori connections only begun 15-years ago. "I grew up in Hawke's Bay and grew up 'pretty much pālangi,' trying to just figure all that out and figure out those links so in my writing, that was really important to have some [Māori] kupu." For Burne-Field, writing children's books helps her learn and use te reo Māori more, but it also brings out her inner child. "I've always told stories, I've always written stories, even when I was little kid, I was painting stories and just making up stories in my head," she said. "In my children's novels, I'm sort of writing them to myself when I was a little kid." But it was never her dream to become an author. "[It] came later as I figured out a bit of the world. I didn't really know back then that 'oh I want to write this book'", she said. "I think life takes you, to use the sea metaphor, it can take you on one current and then you jump off and move on to another one." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
