Wellington based Pacific and Māori arts collective Kava Club have announced an upcoming event responding to the gay narrative. ‘In the ‘Gay’zeebo: A Māori Pasifika Response to the Gay Narrative’ will be based at the Mokai Kainga community garden on 19 March and will feature a free afternoon of workshops centred around Māori and Pasifika art forms and will encourage intergenerational discussion within the local community . Following the 30th Anniversary of Homosexual Law Reform, and regional Pride events, Kava Club - a Wellington based inclusive art collective, we bring together emerging to established Māori and Pasifika art practitioners and advocates - are organising this unique event to bring together sexuality and gender diverse people who whakapapa tangata whenua, tagata Pasifika, indigenous and people of colour, as well as their whānau/family and loved ones. The idea began from a conversation with a young lesbian Māori woman who raised questions about safety for young Māori and Pasifika people says Kava Club member Leilani Visesio. “This has been an event I’ve been thinking about for years – it’s about bringing together culture, sexuality and identity in a supportive space,” says Visesio. “As an older queer person, I realised we need to listen to what is important to young people, and link them with older role models who have fought hard to be where they are now. Indigenous art is the conduit for this conversation.” Kava Club member Kassie Hartendorp, says she hopes this inspires other Māori and Pasifika people to share their stories around sexuality and gender, although acknowledges this isn’t easy for everyone. “We are starting to see change for LGBTIQ people in Western countries around the world, but we want to ask what this means for our ‘rainbow’ identities here in the Pacific. It shouldn’t be so rare to see events organised from an indigenous perspective that open up discussion around what gives us hope and what we are still fighting for.” Kava Club is an independent arts collective established in 2014 for emerging and established artists that hosts Chop Suey Hui, a monthly programme of events and art forums around the city of Wellington. In the ‘Gay’zeebo: A Māori Pasifika Response to the Gay Narrative, 19 March 12pm – 7pm Mokai Kainga, 72 Happy Valley Road. All ages are welcome. The event hosts will provide a kids area and free hangi. For updates, check out the Facebook event.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 9th March 2016 - 1:52pm