Ōtautahi’s rich Pacific heritage set to shine in unforgettable concert

A powerful new collaboration will take the stage at the Christchurch Town Hall this week, as the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra (CSO) teams up with Pacific Underground to present the Ōtautahi Pasifika Legacy Project.

The one-night-only concert on Thursday will mark a historic moment for both organisations. It will showcase a fusion of orchestral grandeur with the rich traditions and stories of the Pacific.

Samiu Katoa Uatahausi, the conductor, tells William Terite on Pacific Mornings that the audience can look forward to powerful and emotional storytelling, building on the success of similar projects such as Mana Moana.

“This project adds another layer to that growing tapestry of bicultural and multicultural expression in Aotearoa,” he says. “It is a statement that our stories belong not just in community halls, but on stages with full orchestra.”

Pos Mavaega, the musical director, says the project continues previous collaborations with the CSO.

“They approached us [about] doing a combination of Pasifika music and the orchestra, and any opportunity to expand and include and collaborate is always a good thing,” Mavaega says.

“We've always seen the two worlds being very separate and very much isolated but the orchestral world has opened up and merged lots of shows with different types of artists and different genres over the years, so by getting our musicians here in Christchurch and then choosing the right people who I know would do a really good job in scoring new arrangements.”

A cultural and historic recognition

Pacific Underground was formed as a theatre company in 1992 and is the country’s longest-running Pacific performing arts group. Over the last three decades, it has served as a launchpad for Pacific talent, including Oscar Kightley, David Fane, and Ladi6.

Tanya Muagututi’a, an artist and producer for Pacific Underground, says the collaboration brings two different worlds together to find a common language.

“At the root of it, our timeless melodies of home are explored through various timbres of an orchestra.”

Watch the full interview with Samiu Katoa Uatahausi and Pos Mavaega below.

In a statement, Muagututi’a describes the arrangements and orchestration by Seta Timo and Mavaega as creating a “unique wall of sound” complemented by “slick guitar and rhythms” that honour the hopes and dreams of local communities.

“It’s become our way of showing love and appreciation of our parents, the music they carried with them, from their villages to Aotearoa.”

Mavaega says the performance will feature multiple generations of Pacific voices.

“Some of them are born and bred here in Ōtautahi, who now live in Tamaki Makaurau, and also family members who live elsewhere in Aotearoa that we have also brought in, who are heavily involved in the performing arts, musical theatre.

“They are going to be featured in some of the songs that the Pacifica Underground band will play and the CSO will back, and original compositions of their own.”

Featured pariticipants include poet Tusiata Avia and musician Hemi Lesatele, who recalls his family’s history with the Pacific Underground and St Paul’s Trinity Pacific.

Hemi Lesatele on guitar. Photo/CSO

“I was born and raised in Christchurch and music’s been in my blood from day one, thanks to my dad, the late Vaelua Manila Lesatele, a passionate muso who even named three of us after music notes - yes, including me, Hemiquaver!

“My first gig was on drums at a wedding at just 12, and I haven’t stopped since”

A performance to remember

Uatahausi says considerable effort has gone into planning, and everything will come together this week.

“Our first in-person rehearsal will be in just over three days before we go on stage, but that is the reality of how these gigs sometimes work.

“But I'm really grateful for the experience that I have had with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, they definitely prepared me for a situation like this, where flexibility and preparation are key.”

Dr Graham Sattler, CEO of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, says that this collaboration has been a long time coming and means a lot to them.

“We are passionate about supporting, facilitating and presenting the music of our community, and the opportunity to connect directly with the Incredible richness of the Ōtautahi Pasifika musical legacy is a real honour... one we are looking very much forward to.”

For Mavaega, the performance represents more than just a concert. It’s a cultural milestone.

“We’re really looking forward to the Pacifica audience community from the churches and the groups in Ōtautahi to feel this experience,” says Mavaega. “And also the wider subscriber community of the CSO to see the melting pot of our cultures and enjoy this beautiful evening of beautiful storytelling through music.”

Ticket prices range from $25 to $50 and can be purchased here.