Young Dunedin musicians and creative performers have been given an opportunity to express their cultural identities across multi-platform media.
Unique Ōtepoti 2020 is an OAR FM Dunedin initiative, supported by funding from the DCC Creative Communities Scheme.
In March, OAR FM sought registrations of interest from groups and individuals aged 12-18 years looking to share original or traditional music, waiata, kapa haka or spoken word performances.
The vagaries of Covid-19 delayed production of the series, but the first of 10 episodes aired earlier this month.
The young artists are filmed and recorded for OAR FM Dunedin’s Youth Zone. Along with an interview, the footage of the performance is edited together and available to listen to on OAR FM Dunedin, and to watch online.
Skilled musicianship and thoughtful song-crafting have been exciting features of the episodes that have already gone to air.
Otago Girls’ High School student Hermione Hai delivered an exquisite performance on guzheng, a traditional Chinese stringed instrument that is plucked, while Queens High School student Soana Pole celebrated her Tongan heritage through singing Katinia,a song composed by the late Queen Salote for her second son Tu’ipelehake, when she appointed him as a Governor of Vava’u in 1949.
Unique Ōtepoti 2020 airs on Thursdays at 5pm or 6pm on OAR 105.4FM and 1575AM. Podcasts and videos are available from the free Youth Zone app, and videos can also be viewed on YouTube and YZNZ.app