Creating contemporary music

Norefjell Davis, a third year Wintec Media Arts student is collaborating with traditional Ma¯ ori music specialist Horomona Horo to create contemporary taonga puoro (traditional Ma¯ ori music) compositions which will become a part of an app for the Matariki Interactive Waka sculpture. Norefjell, with guidance from Horomona, is creating a series of musical compositions as an artistic interpretation of the seven sisters of Matariki. Horomona says there is a need to work with students to help and inspire them to grow and follow their dreams. “Ko te piko o te ma¯ huri, tera te tipu o te rakau,” he says. “The way the sapling is shaped determines the growth of the tree.” Ashton Church, who is in his third year of studying a Bachelor of Information Technology is designing the back end of the app which will incorporate these compositions. Project lead and Wintec tutor Joe Citizen says the app is one of a number of elements for the waka sculpture that use technology to convey aspects of Ma¯ ori culture, music and storytelling. This phase Citizen says takes the project from embracing Ma¯ ori cultural elements into the IoT (Internet of Things) space.

Horomona Horo, traditional Ma¯ ori music specialist (right) is working with Wintec to create a series of compositions for the Wintec waka sculpture.