Kia Ora,
I'm also over the moon (or under it in the best way) about coming to Mahico Festival in June! The tale of making my way behind the decks is a fun (a little long so I’ll try to keep it brief) and an unusual one! I had been a part of the electronic music scene for some time as an attendee and then as a space creator so had immersed myself deeply in the environment. Always inspired by the way the performer playing music had the ability to hold space for so many people to connect with others and themselves through movement, embodiment & connection. So much so that I started to host ecstatic dances in my living room from playlists on spotify! As long as I can remember I have been collecting music and curating sounds for different emotions and experiences. One day a dear friend was listening to one of these curations and took me there and then to buy my first USB, showed me how to put music on it and booked me for a sunrise set at his camp at Kiwiburn Festival (our regional burn event in NZ). I turned up to the set and asked the person playing before me.. What do you do?! He thought I was joking but then eventually showed me the absolute basics of working my way around a CDJ. There were two people watching as I started to experiment and after some time there was more and then there was more and then there was more as the sun came up and the day began. Someone saw me then and invited me to play at another theme camp at the same festival the next day. I did two more sunrises during that festival. The next week I was booked through the same friend who nudged me to make it happen to play at Splore Festival a few weeks later and the snowball began. Looking back it's one of those things in life that feels so aligned to be doing there is no way it wouldn't be happening. I was and still am astounded and grateful at the support from the wider events community here in NZ for supporting me and giving me a platform to hold space in the way I had admired and been mesmerized by for so long.
We have a thriving scene here in Aotearoa pushing a variety of sounds and often focusing on community building and arts as well as music. There are alot of larger events but also many smaller boutique festivals when art and underground music flourish. These more intimate affairs are where many are given a platform and encouraged to share their art forms. If I think of the scene here I think of not only the promoters and musicians but also the attendees, workers, dance floor participants and how everyone together creates something that feels so vibrant.
Some stand out festivals for me are Shipwrecked, held by a lake and have perfected the art of quality sound and attention to detail. Splore which is one of the larger festivals here that has been a pillar for creative expression longer than I have been alive. Ponderosa, a smaller event of 300 people held under a native canopy of trees where the set design and curation of sounds is always jaw dropping. Relish Festival nestled in the south island, where the entire event is anchored around a communal kitchen and user comfort. Want to lay on a grandstand terrace of mattresses overlooking a heaving main stage or check out your favorite dj on a cozy intimate dance floor while kind strangers make everyone cheese toasties at 3am, you can.
All of these events in the scene are so different to one another yet with a common thread of quality and thoughtfulness.
Sustainability is at the core of many events here, as is working with the local iwi (tribes) to honor the land. It is commonly encouraged to educate attendees on looking after the land through waste systems and sustainability, striving towards being zero waste and encouraging individuals to take pride in each being a kaitiaki (caregiver) of the land. There are often festivals held on public ground and it is important to gain permission from local iwi to use the land and to fiercely respect areas of it which are Tapu (sacred/out bounds). Ceremonies are held and karakia are spoken to open and close the space.
In all areas of life and event work I aim to incorporate Tikanga maori values, bringing them into the physical. You can learn about them Here.
There is always room for improvement in this area but there is also an ever growing willingness to learn and encourage each other to improve our understanding of our indigenous heritage.
Embracing both so they can work together is a dance between two realms of creativity. I find that when you are in a creative flow in one area it carries over into the other.
I naturally gravitate to the importance of holistic experience where the environment as a whole influences the experiencer as much as the music. I find I tend to go with the cycles of the seasons… Balancing them by leaning deeply into one for the summer and focusing on the other through winter. During the vibrant summer months, my attention is captivated by various events and the dynamic festival sites, exuding an outward energy. In contrast, the introspective winter season sees me delving more into collecting music, performing in intimate settings, and concentrating on non-event projects.
Yes, Shipwrecked is a festival very close to my heart and an anchor within our community. I love the role I play and the team I get to live and create with on site very dearly. This year our focus was on really lifting the existing infrastructure, finessing and breathing a new life into what was already there so that the site is improved at a foundational level. Regenerating instead of creating more. It was incredible to see the change such a sustainable approach could create whilst embellishing each stage with a completely new theme using upcycled materials, and made and built items and local artists. I am drawn to sustainability and natural materials in both modalities, using authentic items and not trying to make anything be what it is not. This adds a subconscious level of comfort and ease to people interacting with the spaces and the art. It's such a joy to witness how people and performers engage with the environment through the festival!
I am really excited to be playing in Australia for the first time, especially within a community that feels aligned and has been fostering the kind of events I love alongside so many artists which inspire me. Especially for a daytime event, these are often my favorite places to play, where the energy is light and the air full of playfulness. As Well as Mahico Festival I will be playing in Melbourne at the Breakfast club, B2B with
Moontide, the idea of that is sparking a lot of excitement also as I’ve known Louis for sometime and our friendship has always felt so naturally organic and supportive that I feel playing together will be a reflection of that. I also love that playing B2B with people brings out different parts of ourselves so I look forward to seeing what those parts are! In terms of places I really look forward to seeing the Byron area as my sense of the community there is super open and rich, which often is a reflection of the land that holds the community. I have also never been to Melbourn, as with performing with new people new spaces tend to bring out elements of the self to discover, so I look forward to seeing what they are. I tend to try and go to places without expectation, allowing a deeper sense of discovery.
I look forward to playing some luscious, playful and groove sodden eclectic music. I’ll be playing as we transition from afternoon to evening so the set will likely speak to that energy. What I play can depend so much on the time, space, atmosphere of the audience in the moment and what I’m personally feeling at the time, so it's hard to say what one thing it will be as it's always a reflection of many elements.
Three tracks that are floating my boat at the moment as I am sitting in my living room on a rainy day are:
Thrilled to be sharing space with the Mahico family this coming June!
Nga mihi,
Mia
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