Wellington-based Kai Tahu singer/songwriter Ariana Tikao is travelling to Laquenexy in the north-east of France at the end of May to perform at the opening festivities for a Maori-themed garden. From there she is travelling to Brittany, in France’s north-west, for a programme of concerts and appearances. The Maori garden, named ‘Te Putake’, has been developed to showcase Maori culture and tradition for the 2013 Fruit Gardens event and was inspired by a Maori garden at the 2010 Ellerslie Flower Show in Christchurch. Tikao was invited to join the predominantly Christchurch-based delegation because of her connections to Rapaki marae (near Lyttelton), which is also sending a kapa haka group. The trip to Brittany arose after Tikao’s third solo album, From Dust to Light (released in November 2012) was featured in Canal Kiwi, a French-language blog about New Zealand music. While she is there Tikao will feature in television and radio appearances, and perform at showcases and concerts, including at the Breizh Polynesia festival, hosted by Brittany’s Tahitian community. “I am excited about this opportunity to perform in France, and also looking forward to speaking French again,” said Tikao, who studied French language at high school and university. “I visited France in the mid-nineties as a member of a delegation calling for the halting of nuclear testing in the Pacific. This will be a much more positive kaupapa. It will be a real cultural exchange and a chance to share our stories.” For more information or to arrange an interview email horomaka@actrix.co.nz

Ariana Tikao website: www.arianatikao.com

Article about Te Putake: http://www.tekaraka.co.nz/Blog/maori-garden-for-france

Canal Kiwi: http://canalkiwi.blogs.letelegramme.com/archive/2013/02/index.html