In this episode I spoke with self confessed mud addict and formidable clay sculptress from Aotearoa, Carla Ruka. As an active member of Ngā Kaihanga Uku - Māori Clay Artist Collective and committee member of Auckland Studio Potters, Carla has been practicing the arts since 2000, completing her studies in Māori Art and Design with a focus on ceramics from a Māori and Wahine Toa perspective.

Drawing inspiration from her Māori and European background she is inspired by her ancestral heritage and facilitates kapahaka local primary schools. (Māori Performing Arts).

Carla is also a passionate community builder, using the arts as a way to facilitate connection and change. This conversation reminded me of the power a person can have when doing something they love and have a deep connection with their work. Creating intergenerational and community work through her facilitation, Carla is creating ripples through supporting others to create and learn alongside her.

Visit Carla's website here

Find all show notes here

Tariro is a writer, performer, actress and spoken word artist. She is also a trained facilitator and runs programs to support performers and people wanting to dive deeper into the creative process. She currently resides in Barbados, from which she delivers international programs. 

Tariro speaks so beautifully in this podcast episode about writing, about courage, about how the body holds stories, and about how we can rewrite these stories so that we may heal and grow.

For workshops and other offerings visit Tariro’s website

To connect on Instagram visit Tariro here

To connect on Facebook visit Tariro here

To listen and purchase Tariro’s collaboration with the Australian Art Orchestra, Closed Beginnings, click here.

Creator of RECKŌNING Te Waiata Paihere Wairua -The Sounds of Woven Souls, Samuel Gaskin uses the term Change Agent to describe their work, as the terms singer, songwriter, dancer, theatremaker, performer, mental health advocate just created a long train of descriptive words that still didn’t encapsulate the magical sum of all of the parts put together.

Samuel Gaskin brings people together to tell stories. They embrace the difficult parts of being human and find ways to beam positive light into the world. As an artist of Maōri and Nigerian descent they are one of the few artists working in the Inter-Indigenous space to create powerful music and theatre. Their work empowers and innovates.

This interview offers a real insight into Samuel’s working process, from listening to the ancestors, to bringing together new and surprising creative teams, to daily routines to support a creative life.

Click here to connect with Samuel Gaskin’s Work

In this week's episode I speak with songwriter, legend and proud Mutti Mutti man Kutcha Edwards

It was an incredible privilege to sit and listen to someone who not only has one of the finest voices of our generation, but who has been working to create spaces to support others with song and creativity. Kutcha uses music to create connections across cultures, generations, and spaces. With an innate ability to communicate, he uses his unique, diverse talents to nurture understanding and self-knowledge amongst all those with whom he has contact. Kutcha is a Songman, not simply a songwriter. He draws on a profound sense of all those who have gone before him on this land, along with his own life experiences, to help his audiences understand themselves, reconnect with their culture and promote cultural understanding.

In this conversation, recorded at the Aboriginal Advancement League on the National Day of Apology,  Kutcha speaks about memory, time, song, spirit and supporting people in prison. 

This conversation took me to a place outside of time. Uncle Kutcha’s deep wisdom that is present in his songwriting and performances permeates his storytelling and circles through time and space.

Visit Kutcha Edwards’ website

Marianne has worked as a midwife and as an artist to support women through their journey of transitioning into motherhood. As an Indigenous woman the perspective she brings to art making and trauma healing encompasses both the medical framework and Indigenous knowledge. This interview includes personal and professional accounts of processing trauma through art and creating an ecology of love.

This episode contains some adult content, as well as a lot of wisdom and joy. 

In this episode I interview writer, illustrator, artist and songwriter Trace Balla about her creative process, and how she supports her practice. Find out more at www.singingourwayhome.com