Welcome Nau mai haere mai Tēnā koutou katoa
Nau mai haere mai i runga i te reo karanga o WOMAD me Taranaki mounga. We extend a warm welcome to you all, whether you’re here for the first time or are one of our regular WOMAD whanau we love having you guys here for this, the 16th presentation of WOMAD in Taranaki. “The role of art and artists is to keep the world in touch with humanity” — Tamati Kruger The art of music means different things to different people; it is a form of human expression, it is a process of creativity that is arranged in a way that appeals to our senses and emotions. Every artist plays a different and essential part in contributing to the overall health and well-being of our society. We believe it is important to make space for creative thinkers, makers and minority voices, who not only entertain, interact and inspire us but also provoke us to engage and think about our political, economic and social systems. WOMAD 2020 is such a space for this, with its programme packed full of diverse expressions whether they be music, words, dance or installation. We encourage you to seek out some of the exciting new WOMAD programme additions, along with the usual things that you love about the festival for the ultimate WOMAD experience! Book Club is an extension of World of Words, in its inaugural year, our aim is to bring people together to express their perspectives and explore the themes within Chessie Henry’s book, We Can Make A Life. This extraordinary memoir written with love and compassion defines Chessie’s family’s courage and
Emere Wano Event Director & NZ Programme Manager, WOMAD NZ
strength, is a journey of survival, and how a family made a life together following traumatic events. WOMAD’s newest stage is where Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) unite. STEAM Lab is a wondrous place, a haven that evokes curiosity, where innovative minds that have solved real-world problems are celebrated. The World of Music, Arts and Dance official line-up for 2020 is packed with everything from reggae to pop, jazz and Afrobeat. We’re excited to bring a buffet of international stars — genre-spanning and mind-expanding acts which will surprise and even challenge you! It’s always thrilling hearing some of those up-and-coming bands playing on the stages that have hosted our established musicians and international stars. It gives them confidence and a real buzz to know they are sharing stages with these big names. Trust in the element of discovery and embrace a cultural journey with musical treats from Ghana, Greece, Mali and more. We hope your WOMAD journey is full of joy and wonder, and that it allows you to be free to explore the world that WOMAD brings to you — before returning to everyday responsibilities and our modern lives. On behalf of the Board and Staff of WOMAD NZ we wish to thank all of our partners for their ongoing support. Thank you for your continued support and hope you have a fabulous time at WOMAD. Pack a smile and enjoy the festival!
Paula Henderson Head of Programming WOMAD International #WOMADNZ
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