Te Vaka - Music of the South Pacific

Te Vaka - Edmonton Folk Music Festival
Originally uploaded by raise my voice

We've covered Te Vaka's music over the years here at Inside World Music, so it was thrill to finally see the band live in action. Te Vaka is heavily influenced by the sounds of the South Pacific, incorporating log drums (and other percussion instruments) and Polynesian languages. The group's songs are socially conscious, often dealing with themes of social justice and the environment. Now based in Australia after relocating from New Zealand, Te Vaka has a very exciting stage show that features traditional dance. Strong melodies combined with choreography and excellent musicianship makes Te Vaka world class in the world music scene. If you ever have a chance to check out Te Vaka, by all means go for it - and definitely get a hold of some of their music (their latest release, from 2009, is called Haoloto). Check out our full photo set from Te Vaka's Sunday afternoon main stage performance at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival here. ~ Paula E. Kirman