Vanuatuan fruitpickers celebrate Waitangi Day sharing island culture

(The Southland Times) They arrived in Central Otago to help take fruit off the trees but the men from Vanuatu are also providing cultural enrichment to the area.

For Waitangi Day, they put together a cultural feast for more than 100 people, who relaxed in the sun and sheltered under trees at Alexandra's Pioneer Park.
Their band, with guitars, ukuleles, skiffle bass, small drum and percussion, had learned the New Zealand national anthem to mark the day as well as composing their own Waitangi Day song. "Happy Waitangi Day, come on everybody, let us celebrate, the unity of these nations is good," they sang.

Vanuatu is made up of 83 islands, many of which have joined in their own cultural bonds. Some of the Vanuatuan groups demonstrated their dancing and singing to the delight of the crowd.
The Tanna group had a more uncluttered style of dance, reminiscent of the native American. The Penama, from the south, used fine sticks in their dancing, which had shades of Maori culture.

However, it was the dancing from the Bank's group that many stayed to see.
The snake dance saw the men, complete with black and white body paint and representative tree branches, moving to the beat of a wooden island drum, before inviting the audience to join them.

Group spokesman John Mark said the group really enjoyed bringing the concert to people in Alexandra, who had generously donated $211 in gold coin donations to their mission.
After singing and playing almost non-stop for more than two hours, the band returned to its base and continued to play music with the others who were preparing lunch.

"They are so happy to share," Mr Mark said. "Today is for relaxing and that is how they do it."

http://www.stuff.co.nz/southlandtimes/4391755a6570.html