Waiata taking off at Wellington Airport during te wiki o te reo Māori

10 September 2019

Beautiful harmonies, melodic symphonies, and goose bump inducing haka will be in the air at Wellington Airport this week.

“To celebrate te wiki o te reo Mâori we’ve worked with The National Library to give travellers a cultural treat with some heart-warming live performances,” says Jo Maxwell, Te Whanganui-a-Tara Airport Manager of Brand & Innovation.

“We’re excited to bring Kapa Haka and orchestra performances into the airport terminal this week and the special atmosphere that comes with performance.”

Visitors to the airport can look forward to midday concerts by PoiXO on Wednesday, the Virtuoso Strings Orchestra on Thursday and Taita College Kapa Haka on Friday.

“We’re delighted to be able to showcase the amazing talent Wellington has during Mâori Language week and highlight the opening of the ATL100 exhibition: Pûkana: Moments in Mâori Performances,” says Chris Szekely, Chief Librarian, Alexander Turnbull Library.

Pûkana exhibition celebrates Mâori performance and performers across time and genres. The exhibition opens in the National Library Gallery 14 September 2019. Performance is at the heart of Maori culture and the way Maori engage with each other and the world, whether to celebrate, seduce, entertain, express dissent or anger, or grieve. Come and experience the many awe-inspiring Mâori performances across time – from origin stories, right up to today’s young performers taking the world by storm.

If you’re flying in or out of Wellington Airport this week, Mâori Language Week, be sure you celebrate more magical moments of Mâori performance.

The Alexander Turnbull Library is part of the National Library of New Zealand, both of which are part of Te Tari Taiwhenua, Internal Affairs.

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