Kapa Nui Aotearoa

The Te Maeva Nui O Aotearoa NZ Charitable Trust announce the first-ever “Kapa Nui Aotearoa”.

Almost two hundred professional dancers, drummers & singers will descend upon the Vodafone Events Centre this August to contend for first place honours in the inaugural Kapa Nui Aotearoa showcase. The event complements the Te Maeva Nui O Aotearoa bi-annual three-day cultural festival. It will focus on professional Dance & Entertainment Groups actively promoting Cook Islands culture and performing arts all year round.

The main Kapa Nui Aotearoa event will kick off at 3 pm on the 6th of August in the Wolf Fisher Arena, but the community wanting to explore Cook Islands food, arts & craft will be able to sample these at the Kapa Nui Market opening from 12noon.

Festival coordinator Kim Marsters says, “Our Cook Islands culture in Aotearoa has been kept alive over the last 30 years by the different cultural dance groups performing at weddings, birthdays, Christmas parties and other corporate events. They perform at the professional level and, through their work, uplift our community and culture. This is a way to showcase their efforts and determine who is the best. What a fantastic way to bring family, friends, villages and communities together”.

Kapa Nui Aotearoa coincides with the Cook Islands Constitution day and the end of the Cook Islands Language Week in Aotearoa - and in the spirit of bringing communities together, the Trust board have allowed a group of South Auckland Cook Islands Mamas to commemorate the occasion with a morning flag-raising ceremony and Exhibition featuring Tivaevae created by Mama’s from around New Zealand and Australia.

For more details contact Kim Marsters 0212645498
kimi@temaevanui.nz