Review: CALL TO WALLIS at Mangere Arts Centre

Opening last night at Mangere Arts Centre, Auckland with CALL TO WALLIS was the 13th Pacific Dance Festival. This is its most ambitious programme yet with a vibrant pan-Moana season showcasing contemporary Pacific dance, culture and creativity across Auckland and Kerikeri . Artists from Micronesia, Melanesia and Polynesia all bring powerful new works and intergenerational stories to the stage with the heart of the community at its centre.

This is also Samoan language week, and the core theme of Samoa Language Week (Vaiaso o le Gagana Sāmoa). In Samoan culture, the proverb is "E afua mai i mauga tetele manuia o le nu'u," translating to "From the high mountains come the blessings of the village." [1, 2]

The prosperity, wisdom, and strength of a community flow from its foundational pillars—ancestors, elders, and leaders—who nurture and guide future generations. It likens leaders and elders to tall mountains that channel protection and wisdom down to the community, allowing the village to thrive.

CALL To WALLIS was written by Justin Haiu, and he features as the storyteller in this magnificent personally inspired dance narrative. It is an intimate, incredibly powerful presentation that celebrates ancestry, belonging and the shared spirit of Matariki. This special performance  honours the writer’s Uvean identity, the concept of renewal and the deep connection between Pacific communities and Te Tai Tokerau.

Beautifully executed in a range of dance styles, by outstanding performers, the storyline of reconnection to your roots and reconciliation is well captured. At times poignant, at times exceptionally witty, always authentic and honest, the story is imbued with love. The audience could understand and appreciate the various elements of the narrative: the memorable moments of education, the difficulties and challenges of migration, the growth of family and the challenges of loss, the “show and tell” in schools, the working environments both natural and in stores such as Rebel, the search for identity and the return to New Caledonia.

See the website https://www.pacificdance.org.nz