Tama Waipara Photo: STRIKE
Each show, Culture 101 visits a different region to find out what's going on in the arts and culture scene.
For our first show back this year, we're heading to Te Tairāwhiti and joining us is prolific Maori artist, musician, cultural advocate and the chief executive of the Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival, Tama Waipara.
Recently, Waipara was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Maori Music as part of the New Years’ Honours List.
The Te Tairawhiti Arts Festival is split into three parts each year and next week will see the ‘Whiti’ section of the festival begin. Taking place between the 2nd and 11th of February, musicians Louis Baker, Seth Haapu and comedy theatre show Kōpū will feature as part of the line-up.
It’s also been one year since devastating flooding in the region. Waipara speaks to Culture 101 about how it’s impacted the arts and culture scene and how artists are recovering.
