The Film
In 2008 the first ‘Green Fire Islands’ event took place.
After years of planning, a group of Irish musicians came to Aotearoa to join a group of Kiwi musicians and performers where they put together a cross cultural stage show which explored the conflicts and the commonalities between the two cultures.
I joined this group with a small crew to document the unfolding of this event which ran over a week of rehearsals at Raglan and then went on to performances at the Wellington Festival, Womad in Taranaki and to the Aotea Centre in Auckland city on St Patricks Day.
The show was very well received by both audiences and reviewers, and our shooting crew gathered a lot of material in a high-res digital format. We followed the rehearsal process, we recorded the dress rehearsal in the Raglan Town Hall, shot with several cameras at each of the performance venues, and we gathered interviews with many of the musicians and performers involved.
With ‘Green Fire Islands’ due to re-form in Ireland and London this year I am hoping to record the event with the aim of building the gathered material into a documentary for the big screen. A documentary which explores some of the musical history of the two cultures, looks at the cross cultural experience through the eyes and ears of the participants, and includes a full blown performance piece. ('Buena Vista Social Club' is the closest comparison I can think of.)
The 'Green Fire Islands' show in 2008 revealed a stimulating musical cross cultural conversation. This time round I think the stakes and the energy levels will be even higher with the addition of a larger kapa haka component as well as sean nohs dancers. These raw ingredients of both Irish and Maori cultures naturally create a very lively cross cultural conversation which translates into a high energy aural and visual experience.
Central to the Kiwi side of the ‘Green Fire Islands’ show are traditional maori music and instruments, taonga puoro. Along with Richard Nunns and Horomona Horo the group will be joined by kaumatua Joe Malcolm, the man who played a significant role in the renaissance of taonga puoro.
We have already begun to explore the musical histories of both cultures in interviews with some of the musicians including Richard Nunns who plays taonga puoro, Sean Mckeon who plays the rather unique Irish pipes, and several other performers. Interviews were sometimes arranged and sometimes spontaneous and we will continue with this mixed approach.
It will be interesting to see the contrast between what was recorded during rehearsals in Raglan here in Aotearoa in 2008 and what will occur at rehearsals in Annamakerrig in Ireland this year, to see and experience, and to record, the uncorking of so much creative energy.
Given the established interest in Irish music and culture and the growing curiosity in tikanga Maori I believe we have here an opportunity to capture an experience which will resonate with audiences world wide.
Alun Bollinger - Cinematographer
After years of planning, a group of Irish musicians came to Aotearoa to join a group of Kiwi musicians and performers where they put together a cross cultural stage show which explored the conflicts and the commonalities between the two cultures.
I joined this group with a small crew to document the unfolding of this event which ran over a week of rehearsals at Raglan and then went on to performances at the Wellington Festival, Womad in Taranaki and to the Aotea Centre in Auckland city on St Patricks Day.
The show was very well received by both audiences and reviewers, and our shooting crew gathered a lot of material in a high-res digital format. We followed the rehearsal process, we recorded the dress rehearsal in the Raglan Town Hall, shot with several cameras at each of the performance venues, and we gathered interviews with many of the musicians and performers involved.
With ‘Green Fire Islands’ due to re-form in Ireland and London this year I am hoping to record the event with the aim of building the gathered material into a documentary for the big screen. A documentary which explores some of the musical history of the two cultures, looks at the cross cultural experience through the eyes and ears of the participants, and includes a full blown performance piece. ('Buena Vista Social Club' is the closest comparison I can think of.)
The 'Green Fire Islands' show in 2008 revealed a stimulating musical cross cultural conversation. This time round I think the stakes and the energy levels will be even higher with the addition of a larger kapa haka component as well as sean nohs dancers. These raw ingredients of both Irish and Maori cultures naturally create a very lively cross cultural conversation which translates into a high energy aural and visual experience.
Central to the Kiwi side of the ‘Green Fire Islands’ show are traditional maori music and instruments, taonga puoro. Along with Richard Nunns and Horomona Horo the group will be joined by kaumatua Joe Malcolm, the man who played a significant role in the renaissance of taonga puoro.
We have already begun to explore the musical histories of both cultures in interviews with some of the musicians including Richard Nunns who plays taonga puoro, Sean Mckeon who plays the rather unique Irish pipes, and several other performers. Interviews were sometimes arranged and sometimes spontaneous and we will continue with this mixed approach.
It will be interesting to see the contrast between what was recorded during rehearsals in Raglan here in Aotearoa in 2008 and what will occur at rehearsals in Annamakerrig in Ireland this year, to see and experience, and to record, the uncorking of so much creative energy.
Given the established interest in Irish music and culture and the growing curiosity in tikanga Maori I believe we have here an opportunity to capture an experience which will resonate with audiences world wide.
Alun Bollinger - Cinematographer
