Accomplished east Auckland artist Carla Ruka is heading to the United States to take part in a creative and cultural exchange for Indigenous artists and performers.
The clay sculptress is travelling as part of a group of Maori including Sir Derek and Lady Rose Lardelli, Tama Waipara, Margaret Aull, Fiona Collis, Te Kahureremoa Taumata, Taisha Tari and Tawera Tahuri.
They’ve been invited to participate in the Indigenous Music and Arts Festival staged at Ganondagan in Victor, New York, from July 27-28.
An invitation issued to the group from Friends of Ganondagan progamme director Jeanette Jemison states the festival is an “opportunity to collaborate and connect with fellow Indigenous artists, performers and culture bearers”.
“It showcases Haudenosaunee [Native American] and Indigenous cultures through dance, music, storytelling, traditional craft demonstrations, an Indigenous Arts Market, children’s activities, Indigenous food and more.
“This year we’re deeply honoured to be welcoming Maori artists and performers.
“The event will feature artist demonstrations, dance performances, and collaborative opportunities with Haudenosaunee artists, performers, and culture bearers.”
The group travelling to the festival from New Zealand have been asked to provide artist demonstrations, traditional dance, and contemporary performances.
“We’re striving to cultivate a community space for artists to engage in learning, sharing, and creating art while allowing the public to share this experience through observation and conversation,” Jemison says.
“Following the festival on July 29 there will be a special gathering with food, art, and music with our Maori guests and members of the Haudenosaunee community, providing the opportunity to visit and enjoy each other’s company and deepen connections.
“This significant collaboration allows for Indigenous communities to engage in critical discourse and build lasting relationships.”
Ruka says her role on the trip is to foster a relationship with six confederated Native American tribes.
“I’ll be working with some Indigenous artists and we’ll be exchanging knowledge,” she told the Times.
“I will be running a clay workshop with them and I’m hoping to share … because I designed my own way of hand-building [clay] from a Maori perspective.
“I’m really keen to share that with the artists I get paired with.
“It’s also a public festival so I’ll be doing some workshops, demonstrations, and artist talks.
“A lot of our group are singers so we’ll be doing a musical performance from a cultural lens while we’re there.”
Ruka says the group she belongs to, Ngā Kaihanga Uku – Māori Clay Artist Collective, has three primary objectives, including to create connections with other Indigenous artists.
“I’m looking at not only sharing and collecting knowledge but also at networking and fostering a long-term relationship with the artists I work with [in the US].
“So for the future perhaps we can have a reciprocating visit and connect them with some of our Indigenous artists.
“I’m going to give any knowledge I can that will be helpful.”
