WOMAD

Te Vaka

From Tokelau

Biography supplied by management, March 2003:TE VAKATe Vaka is a unique 11 piece group from New Zealand, which since 1997 has enticed the world with the music, costume and dance of the South Pacific. From timeless roots in Polynesia, Te Vaka has incorporated contemporary influences to create something that is new, refreshing and exciting.Te Vaka has performed in the USA and toured the UK and Europe extensively over the last 5 years, performing in such prestigious venues as London’s Royal Festival Hall and Ronnie Scott’s Night Club. The group has headlined music festivals throughout Europe and been favourites at WOMAD festivals around the world, including the WOMAD festival in Seattle, USA.Opetaia Foa’i is the songwriter/ lead vocalist of the group. The inspiration for his music comes from his multi-cultural upbringing – half Tokelauan, half Tuvaluan, born in Samoa and brought up in a Tokelauan community in New Zealand. Opetaia’s musical background spans both the traditional and the diverse influences of contemporary metropolitan culture.Te Vaka has performed in 26 countries around the world and released three albums to date which gained immediate worldwide acclaim and recognition for the group. Released through ARC Music, a UK based company, the album was distributed to over 80 countries. The second album, released in 1999 through Warm Earth Records has created an even bigger impact, going to number one on the World Music charts and on some countries’ mainstream charts. The latest Te Vaka album, released in May this year, has been described as phenomenal, and seems set to overtake the impact created by the two previous albums.Nominated for a BBC Radio 3 World Music Award 2003 in the Asia & Pacific sectionTHE SHOWOn stage, Te Vaka is more than just a show, it is a musical and visual experience. The audience is transported via the music and dance right into the heart of the Pacific – Polynesia!Vibrant costumes change throughout the show, worn by dancers who are skilled in Polynesian dance styles from the many different islands in the South Pacific. The choreography is a well balanced composition of traditional influences and an innovative contemporary feel that adds excitement and variety throughout the show. The log drummers are a huge force, beating out the rhythms of their ancestors. This is real “Tribal Power”!The show, like the music, has a contemporary edge which serves to enhance the communication of the songs, and make them easy for other cultures to relate to and enjoy.The focus is, of course, the log drums, a traditional sound of the Pacific. This is varied and added to by other instruments such as the acoustic and electric guitar, creating in the show a great diversity – from log drum grooves, which defy anyone to keep their body still, to soulful ballads that can move the audience to tears.Tokelau consists of three atolls on the furthest rim of Polynesia, a tiny set of islands with a land mass of only four square miles between them. The islands supported a thriving community until 1850 when Peruvian slave ships arrived. Within 20 years, the population was down to fewer than a hundred.Opetaia Foa'i, the founder and leader of Te Vaka, was born in Samoa. His family emigrated to New Zealand when he was nine, and there he was raised in a Tokelauan community. Now he has reinvented Tokelauan music, whose main instrument is the log drum. This instrument, which gives Pacific music its unique identity, is made from the featu tree and was originally used to call islanders to village meetings. Congas and bass drums used to be made from shark skin, although goat and cow are now preferred. The Tokelauan style was embellished by guitar in the last century (the instrument was brought to the island by whalers). These instruments carry the rich choral vocals (a sound not unlike that of Ladysmith Black Mambazo) which is a main part of the Tokelauan style. But Foa'i has not been content merely to revive this ancient music: he wants to drive it forward, and his 10-piece group Te Vaka (the name means "the canoe") is his chosen vehicle.The group's debut album ('Te Vaka' on ARC Records) is a showcase for Foa'i's vision. While the drums provide the backbone, extra percussion gives new tones to the rhythm, while acoustic guitars, keyboards and even didgeridoos give the music extra colour. The album has captured the imagination of musicians in the Southern Hemisphere – Neil Finn (formerly of Crowded House and a long-time WOMAD fan) has expressed a wish to work with the group.On stage, Te Vaka add another dimension to the music, wearing traditional Pacific dress, and using dance moves that, like their music, combine old and contemporary styles.Official website: www.tevaka.com