From cuckoos and tūī to the long-lost moa and pouākai, Orchestras Central’s latest programme took us on a sonic journey across centuries and skies. Blending science, storytelling, and music, Flights of Fancy invited us to experience how birds inspire composers—and remind us of both the beauty we still have and the voices we’ve already lost.
The post discusses the importance of handmade books in fostering a connection with nature and the present moment. Monica Peters highlights a workshop on Waiheke Island, where participants will create their own nature journals, blending creativity with outdoor observations. This practice encourages mindfulness, curiosity, and appreciation for the natural world through artistic engagement.
The Understory exhibition at Waiheke Community Art Gallery showcased 25 artists highlighting community-led conservation efforts. Topics covered by the panel of artists and conservationists included personal connections to nature on the motu, creative inspiration, and lessons learned from restoration successes. The event emphasized the importance of art, ecological awareness and the community’s cultural and personal ties to nature and conservation.
Waiheke Island was once filled with lush forests, but they were laid to waste through colonisation. Ongoing restoration has transformed the island. The Understory exhibition and Te Wao Nui o Tane installation, combine ecological restoration with art workshops aimed at engaging the community. Participants explore native flora and develop artistic interpretations for an upcoming exhibition.
This blog post continues a zig-zag course through a handful of the many topics traversed in the biennial Oral History Association of NZ Conference (Nov 15-17, Parnell, Tāmaki Makaurau). As […]
The recent oral history conference highlighted diverse methodologies and ethical considerations in conducting interviews. It explored culturally sensitive approaches and the significance of introspective and community-driven narratives. Presenters emphasized the importance of connection, subjectivity, and the responsibilities interviewers hold in navigating sensitive topics while preserving individual memories and histories.
5 ways our wetlands can be appreciated – some ideas from a circumnavigation around Rangihoua wetland on Waiheke Island during EcoFest 2024
An insight into sharing art, science, images, and narratives at an orchestral event celebrating the natural world.
This blog continues a cultural journey to better understand the “how and why” of contemporary Aotearoa through an historical lens.
How do we describe cultural connection to place? This blog revisits some university essays I wrote last year by way of trying to gain a more nuanced insight into the complex relationships between land and people in Aotearoa.
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