Some of the highlights of 2007:
Marbella, Spain - Opening of the Don Carlos Resort Hotel: Marbella in Southern Spain is a famous playground for Europe's more well off. The Don Carlos is a hotel known for entertaining and accommodating that particular clientelle. Following a recent refurbishment, the hotel was "reopened"in grand style. One of the organisers is married to a New Zealand Maori and had experienced the emotion of a Maori welcome at her wedding at a marae, a Maori meeting house in New Zealand. She wanted the guests to experience something similar
so asked Manaia to help out. We took over 20 performers to Spain and entertained guest with traditional Maori songs, poi and haka.Here's the team just before our performance.
Filming of Bride Flight in Luxembourg. Bride Flight is a Dutch Film about a the true story of the Last Great Air Race London – Christchurch in October 1953, and the KLM aircraft that won the handicap race, which carried 26 young Dutch brides-to-be on their way to join their fiancés already settled in New Zealand. Manaia re-enacted a haka powhiri that greeted the travellers when they arrived in Christchurch. We flew into Luxembourg in the afternoon, drove to an unused airfield in France via Belgium. It was really freezing and we had to do so many takes to film the scene.
Maori film stars with 1950's hairstyles and cool 1950's clothing, plane and cars to match. Here is the link to the Bride Flight trailer. If you are sharp eyed, you may even catch a glimpse or our Manaia poi performers.Marseilles for the Rugby World Cup: On behalf of the New Zealand Embassy, the Manaia crew spent nearly a week in the South of France performing in Marseilles and Aix en provence, promoting Maori culture, the haka, New Zealand and the All Blacks.
We started our first media performances and workshops at the beach Rugby tournament, performed at a photography exhibition featuring moko (Maori traditional tattoo), held workshops for children at local schools, performed down-town Aix en provence, held public performances at Marseille stadium and performed with the Black Seeds. And during all this we even managed to meet the All Blacks before their game with Italy.
It was one of our most memorable trips of the year, with great sunshine, friendly people and we even had a chance to swim and paddle a Tahitian waka ama.
La Notte Bianca: The White Night Festival - Rome: This is Rome's yearly festival where performers around the world perform throughout the summers night until Sunday morning. Following Marseille, a number of Manaia performers flew into Rome and met with our crew from London to perform in the festival. In a wonderful outdoor auditorium overlooking the city of Rome, Manaia performed to over 2,500 people. Our performance included traditional songs and a haka workshop with a large number of locals joining us on stage. The performance was sponsored by the New Zealand Embassy in Rome and Iveco, the sponsors of the All Blacks.
Rovigo, Italy - Community workshops for Sky Television - While we had a crew in Marseilles, Greg Lacey and I travelled to Rovigo, a small rugby mad town in Italy to do some promotional work with Sky Television. The event coincided with the Italy Vs New Zealand game. Greg and I spent time with local children, performing and teaching about Maori culture and of course the haka.
Prince Andrew opens New Zealand Garden in Windsor
A New Zealand garden at Windsor's Savell Gardens was opened by Prince Andrew, the Windsor Park Ranger. The garden was designed by Sam Martin, a New Zealander based in London. Manaia were involved ceremonially with putaatara (conch shells), karanga (ceremonial calls) and haka powhiri (welcome chants) as well as running workshops for local children on Maori instruments and Maori dance.Cardiff for the World Cup Quarter final All Blacks to France - Manaia crew were invited to perform at the All Black vs France quarter final for Rugby World Cup main sponsors Societe Generale. Unfortunately, despite a spirited Manaia performance, the All Blacks were not able to match it and their resulting loss to France meant they were out of the World Cup. And with Manaia's two week stint in Paris commencing the next day, our work was going to take on a new twist.
Le Balon - Manaia in Paris for the Rugby World Cup
Well the French Border guards couldn't resist commenting when they saw our New Zealand passports. Here we were, in Paris the day after the All Blacks lost, working with Tourism NZ to encourage people to visit New Zealand, looking to ride on the back of the success of the All Blacks. Tourism NZ had erected a magnificent gigantic rugby ball that could seat 200 people and promoted New Zealand as a tourism destination.But not even the All Blacks losing was going to stop us. And of course the French were very gracious in the All Blacks loosing. Tourism New Zealand had scored a top spot right next to the Eiffel tower in Champs de Mars. Thousands of tourists were making their way to Paris to watch the World Cup final semis and finals, all looking for something to do. It was Manaia's job to get them over to the Ball, get them inside to learn about New Zealand as a possible destination for a holiday, especially with the World Cup being held there in 2011.
So, Manaia performed near the ball, under the Eiffel tower, with celebrities, went and talked and chatted and had photos taken, signed autogrpahs even. People came, watched, particpated, had fun and we managed to help get some 25,000 in to glimpse a wee bit of New Zealand inside the Ball. Tourism New Zealand staff were very motivated, great to work with and made sure we were well looked after, kept warm and had a full social calender.
