Leading advocate for Matariki, Astronomy Professor Rangi Mātāmua (Tūhoe) has recently returned from a trip to Tahiti. The trip was at the invitation of the government there, where there is interest in instituting a Matariki holiday. As part of the trip Professor Matamua visited the ancient marae of Taputapuātea on Ra’iātea or Havai’i Island, a homeland for the Māori people.

This Friday June 28 sees Aotearoa celebrate Matariki, the Māori new year for the third time as a public holiday.

Arts news for 16 June 2024

The Dead C guitarist Bruce Russell along with graphic designer and pedal steel guitar player, Luke Wood, has released a rich book of essays called A Record Could Be Your Whole World: Vinyl Records as the Total Artwork of the Late Twentieth Century.

Melanesia is a rich cultural region. It holds the largest Indigenous population in the Pacific, and has more languages than all of Europe. Vanuatu has 110 dialects and languages alone.

For Daimon Schwalger aka artist and celebrated electronic artist The Nomad, moving to Kawatiri Westport on Te Wai Pounamu South Island’s West Coast was a deliberate ploy to enjoy more isolation. Yet the event organiser hasn’t been able to help himself, organising a few major community events as well as heading a video and photography production company there.

The Doc Edge Festival is kicking off in Aotearoa from 19 June starting in Ōtautahi Christchurch. It’ll make its way to Auckland and Wellington before going online nationwide. With 66 local and international films and 28 digital immersive events and installations, there’s a plethora of projects for audiences to soak up.

A small farming town in South Australia has been on a mission to show art can improve health and well-being.

Back in the early 1930s, the pianette was briefly an Art Deco home sensation. Now a band of enthusiasts have revived the instrument by converting it into a Pianette Automatique.

Courtney Dawson (Ngāti Kurī/ Ngāti Amaru) broke into the comedy world just five years ago but has steadily been working her way to the top.

Arts news for Sunday 9 June.