Nearly 30 years ago the (then) Polynesian Festival was held for the first time in Te Waipounamu / the South Island of New Zealand. Renamed Te Matatini, this bi-annual cultural performing arts festival is returning to Ōtautahi on March 04-08th 2015.
This film clip about the 1986 Polynesian Festival includes recollections from some of the members of the Organising Committee, including my father-in-law Te Puraoterangi Parata, about their roles and responsibilities at that time. It also includes interviews with some of the 1986 performers from Waitaha and discusses their practices and performance at that time.
It seems only appropriate that my wife, Puamiria Parata-Goodall, is project managing the 2015 Te Matatini Festival; continuing the family tradition of overseeing the transmission of culture and learning and connection across the generations. Mauriora!!
I acknowledge Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision and Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu for use of this footage.
