Reported on by Tim Gruar.
The WOMAD 2020 Artists are announced: A political Jamaican Reggae icon (Ziggy Marley), an ambassador of African music (Salif Keita), masters of gospel (Blind Boys of Alabama) and a group of seasoned musicians from Aotearoa are just a few of the heavy-hitting performers announced for WOMAD New Zealand 2020.
At a ceremony held at Parliament last night hosted by the MP for New Plymouth, Jonathan Young plus the Justice Minister, Andrew Little the line-up for WOMAD 2020 was announced.
As everyone in attendance will remember, the Prime Minister was due to open WOMAD earlier this year. However only an hour before, the awful news of the shootings in Christchurch came through changing our nation forever. That terrible incident affected the mood and vibe of WOMAD 2019.
Taranaki Arts Festival CEO Suzanne Porter (responsible for WOMAD) remembers having to make the tough call to continue.
“It was a difficult decision, but it would have been like giving in. We wanted to show the world that we stood for diversity and celebration of all cultures.”
Andrew Little, reminiscing on his speech this year when he had to stand in for the Prime Minister at short notice, summed up the sentiment in his speech tonight, acknowledging that there is a time to grieve, a time to cry, a time to heal and a time to dance. WOMAD is that time, he said.
This coming year it is hoped that the spirit of difference, diversity and tolerance that is so important to WOMAD will be fully restored. Many of tonight’s key note speeches eluded to this and, essentially, were a prayer for more cultural tolerance and celebration of all cultures. This is what sets that festival apart from any other. And why we continue to return every year.
And so to the big reveal. Joining the already announced mesmerising duo of Welsh harpist Catrin Finch & Senegalese kora player Seckou Keita and the living legends of gospel music Blind Boys of Alabama are twenty cutting edge performers and world-class musicians from every corner of the planet.
The programme of artists includes fresh new takes on traditional music with multi-award-winning, solo artists, duos, trios and 12-piece brass bands from around the globe. We have Finnish Beatboxing, Maloyan Dance and Black Samba to look forward to. Alongside that there’s Reggae, Rap, Folk, Funk Jazz, Soul, Classical and Afrobeat. Pioneering young artists alongside inspirational icons will come together across the weekend to promote acceptance, joy, love, hope and change via the universal language of mankind, music.
Announced tonight are, in alphabetical order: Albi & The Wolves (Aotearoa/NZ), Blind Boys of Alabama (USA), Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita (Wales/Senegal), Destyn Maloya (Réunion), Ezra Collective (UK), Hiatus Kaiyote (Australia), Hot Potato Band (Australia), Kim So Ra (South Korea), King Ayisoba (Ghana), L.A.B. (Aotearoa/NZ), Liniker e os Caramelows (Brazil), L Subramaniam (India), Ziggy Marley (Jamaica), Minyo Crusaders (Japan), Muthoni Drummer Queen (Kenya/France), Orquesta Akokán (Cuba), Reb Fountain (Aotearoa/NZ), RURA (Scotland), Salif Keita (Mali), Soaked Oats (Aotearoa/NZ), Trio Da Kali (Mali), Tuuletar (Finland).
But alongside the music there are two other new events, The WOMAD Book Club (featuring writers such as Mike Chunn, Chessie Henry, comedian David Fane, Musician Shayne Carter and slam poet Penny Ashton). Then there’s a cool new Science section with talks on sustainability and innovation, hosted by leading science experts.
WOMAD NEW ZEALAND 2020
13-15 March, 2020
Brooklands Park and the TSB Bowl of Brooklands, Ngāmotu (New Plymouth)
About WOMAD:
WOMAD – World of Music, Arts and Dance brings together artists from all over the globe for a three day festival. The central aim of the WOMAD festival is to celebrate the world’s many forms of music, arts and dance. As an organisation, WOMAD now works in many different ways – at festivals, performance events, through recorded releases and through educational projects, the aim is to “excite, to inform, and to create awareness of the worth and potential of a multicultural society.”
Peter Gabriel was one of WOMAD’s co-founders: “Pure enthusiasm for music from around the world led us to the idea of WOMAD in 1980 and thus to the first WOMAD festival in 1982.”
“Equally important, the festivals have also allowed many different audiences to gain an insight into cultures other than their own through the enjoyment of music. Music is a universal language, it draws people together and proves, as well as anything, the stupidity of racism.”
WOMAD festivals are family-oriented, diverse and active musical events. Since the first festival in the UK in 1982, WOMAD has held more than 160 festivals, creating events in twenty-seven countries and islands all over the world, including: Abu Dhabi, Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Portugal, Sardinia, Sicily, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, UK, and the United States of America.
WOMAD New Zealand 2020 sees the 16th anniversary for WOMAD held at the stunning TSB Bowl of Brooklands and Brooklands Park, New Plymouth, Taranaki. We can’t wait!
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