Vocal Roots

16/05/2024

After the incredible success of our Community Exhibiton, Exhibiton Panel and An Afrikan Market we’ve taken this week to focus on some much needed rest.

It’s been SO heart warming seeing so many people from the African diaspora and beyond engage with the programme this year, in person and online! The love, consideration and interest is felt deeply 🥰🫶🏿

If you haven’t already secured your spot for the Community Dinner, don’t worry, there’s still time to join us! We have a waitlist as we know plans can change last minute and a space may become available. Click the link in bio to register for the waitlist 🤎

06/05/2024

04/05/2024

Join our exhibition panel tomorrow at 1pm:

Join us for a panel discussion inspired by the community exhibition, “There Were No Photos.”

Delve into the complexities of identity, memory, and storytelling as our panelists, Dana Salih Toogood, Evelyn Kalumbu Park and Dr Love Chile share their insights and perspectives on the intersection of art and personal narrative.


Engage in a dynamic dialogue facilitated by Makanaka Tuwe of Sesa Mathlo Apothecary, as we explore how art serves as a powerful medium for expressing diverse experiences and shaping collective understanding. Whether you’re an art enthusiast, a storyteller, or simply curious, don’t miss this opportunity to delve deeper.

Book your free ticket for this panel event here: https://events.humanitix.com/there-were-no-photos-exhibition-panel?_gl=1*c7t8vc*_ga*MzU2NDA4NTE1LjE3MTM4NjMyNjk.*_ga_LHKW5FR9N6*MTcxMzg2MzI2OC4xLjEuMTcxMzg2NDY0Ny4xNS4wLjA.

This event is proudly supported by Auckland Council and the city centre targeted rate.

03/05/2024

03/05/2024

Performance line up!

4:00 PM
DJ Chillin’
4:15 PM
EBM Artistry Fashion Show
4:30 PM
KWANSIAFAMU GROUP
4:50 PM
Burundian Youth Dance Group
5:10 PM
Zambian Dance Group
5:30 PM
Inyange Dance Group
5:35 PM
Jari
5:50 PM
Jari, Ashley & Miss Audrey
6:00 PM
The Wow Live Band
7:05 PM
West African Drummers
7:35 PM
Burundian Drummer

03/05/2024

Rain or shine we’re on at 4pm 💪🏿✨🌍

02/05/2024

HOW TO GET TO THE EVENT:

BUS
Catch CTY/18/195/11T/WX1/195, and get off at the bottom of Queen St and walk up to Freyberg Square via Vulcan Lane and High St.

TRAIN
Get off at Britomart Train Station and walk up to Freyberg Square via Queen St, Fort Lane or High Street.

CAR
Park close by in Victoria St Carpark, The CHancery Basement Carpark or on the street close by on Shortland St, Kitchener St, Princes St

02/05/2024

Riyana Fröbise started her business to make a difference in people’s lives. She’s passionate about wellness and using business as a force for good.
Her experience in the learning industry gave her the skills she needed to start her own company. Riyana used her health science knowledge to create a product that has transformed her life and has made a positive impact on her many clients well-being.
As a female entrepreneur, she’s faced many challenges and used them to help her grow as she pursues her dreams. Riyana is a proud to be a trailblazer for other women living with chronic illness.

02/05/2024

Join us for an electrifying Afropacific fashion showcase from EBM Artistry! Experience the essence of Africa and the Pacific as the unveil a fusion of tradition, beauty, and cultural richness on the runway.

02/05/2024

The Wow Live Band is an energetic ensemble dedicated to bringing the heartbeat of Africa to events across Aotearoa. The band is a melting pot of diverse talents, each member contributing a unique flavor to create an unforgettable musical experience.

Specializing in the rich and diverse music genres of West Africa, the Band transports audiences to the heart of the continent with every beat. From the rhythmic beats of Highlife to the soul-stirring melodies of Afrobeat, their performances are a captivating journey through the vibrant tapestry of West African music.

27/04/2024

🔥🔥🔥

This event will be a chance to highlight African artists and their crafts and introduce Tāmaki Makaurau to some up and coming names in the scene.

26/04/2024

Our panel is led by Makanaka (Maka) is a Researcher, Storyteller and Cultural Producer whose practice flows at the intersections of embodied care, collective wellness and social justice.

Her work explores the themes of liberation, worldbuilding and relational wellness. She is the Founder, Builder and Guide of Sesa Mathlo Apothecary, a space that supports personal, collective and social transformation through education, research and storytelling.

Join us 5th May at 1pm: Strand Arcade, Queen St

25/04/2024

Our final artist and panelist for our communtiy exhibition is Dr Dana Salih Toogood!

Sudanese Australian of Nubian heritage, Dana actively reclaims her narrative. Her story spans from Kuwait to Finland, Ethiopia to Saudi Arabia, United States to Australia - a diverse upbringing that has woven a rich tapestry of experience in both her personal and professional life. Formerly a chiropractor, Neuro Emotional Technique practitioner, and business owner, she now serves as a Health Coach at AUT and freelances as an Executive Coach at Dana Toogood Coaching. Embracing her identity as a creative thinker and coach, Dana is a proud mother of two.

Believing in the wisdom of the body as a guide through life, Dana bridges self-awareness and understanding. With roots spanning continents and cultures, she weaves insights from her diverse experiences into her holistic coaching practice and decade experience in health and wellbeing offering a trauma-informed and decolonizing lens to her mahi.

Movement is her source of joy and expression, whether paddleboarding, biking, hiking, or boxing. As a somatic coach, she believes in movement’s transformative power to foster resilience and self-connection.

As a somatic coach, she creatively utilizes nervous system and brain-based modalities to foster wellbeing and connection. Dana is thrilled to invite you to experience her unconventional art exhibition, where she has crafted a unique space using items, rather than traditional paintings or drawings. It’s an immersive journey that invites you to explore and engage with my artistic vision in a whole new way - a sensory exploration of my heritage through materials and items, offering you a somatic experience to form meaning and storytelling.

Let your body feel and do the talking!

25/04/2024

A warm welcome to our first panelist, Evelyn Park!

Evelyn Kalumbu Park, a native of Zambia, transitioned from urban life in the Eastern Bays to a semi-rural setting in Franklin after nearly 30 years. As a residential new build consultant for Classic Builders, she thrives on creative pursuits like travel, music, and cuisine, often embracing self-learning to broaden her horizons. Passionate about personal growth and fostering harmonious environments, Evelyn is committed to empowering individuals to reach their full potential.

Through her entrepreneurial journey, she transformed a small braiding shop into a thriving hair and beauty/wellbeing center, providing opportunities and inspiration to others. Guided by her mantra, “beyond my truth there is nothing more pure,” Evelyn embodies authenticity and integrity in all aspects of her life. Despite early losses, she maintains a resilient spirit and optimistic outlook, believing in the power of determination and positivity.

Approaching retirement, Evelyn plans to mentor young African females aspiring to leadership roles and explore her passion for meaningful conversations through writing and podcasting. In each endeavor, her dedication, compassion, and belief in others’ potential shine as a source of inspiration and empowerment.

24/04/2024

Kwansiafamu Group is a young Ghanaian dance troup keen to know of their roots through dance and cultural appreciation. Some of their dances includ ADOWA and KETE.

24/04/2024

🔥🔥🔥

Community Exhibition: There Were No Photos | 27 Apr - 12 May This unique exhibition calls on artists to reflect on time periods where there were no photos. The exhibition will show how these various artists depict their ancestors, how they connect to and honour them, and what they love about their c...

23/04/2024

Join us for a panel discussion inspired by the community exhibition, “There Were No Photos.”

Delve into the complexities of identity, memory, and storytelling as our panelists, Dana Salih Toogood, Evelyn Kalumbu Park and Dr Love Chile share their insights and perspectives on the intersection of art and personal narrative.


Engage in a dynamic dialogue facilitated by Makanaka Tuwe of Sesa Mathlo Apothecary, as we explore how art serves as a powerful medium for expressing diverse experiences and shaping collective understanding. Whether you’re an art enthusiast, a storyteller, or simply curious, don’t miss this opportunity to delve deeper.

Book your free ticket for this panel event via the link in our bio.

This event is proudly supported by Auckland Council and the city centre targeted rate.

23/04/2024

We look forward to having our some of our best West Africa Drummers in Aotearoa: Mavs, Yaw, Fellis, and Modi!

23/04/2024

The Burundian Youth Dance Group want people to see who they are because dancing is a part of their shared identity. When the group is not performing, they like to spend time with family and friends.

23/04/2024

I am a young aspiring creative designer. I grew up in West Auckland with my mother and siblings.

With a degree in communication design, I have a passion to create art that conveys truth and deep meaning. I aim to embrace all of life’s challenges by approaching them with optimism, love, and understanding.

22/04/2024

Genuine Rwandese cuisine, from Africa to you!

Taste of Rwanda’s passion for food stems from the memory of the many African women in their families who would always be cooking up a storm for friends and wider communities. Culturally in Rwanda, food isn’t only to satisfy your appetite, it’s a way of showing appreciation, love and connection to others. Their menu offers staple comforting Rwandan food.

22/04/2024

I am a young creative entity making their exhibition debut. Growing up in an extremely conservative and religious African household in East Auckland heavily influenced the way I perceive myself and the world around me. Now I’m unlearning those sentiments and allowing myself to truly discover what it means to be me.

With a passion for fashion, poetry, culture and visual art, I am finding ways to not only tell my stories relating to my experiences but also of the people I am in community with.

22/04/2024

Yatara African Food provides authentic Nigerian dishes. Nothing but the best, her food is made with much love and passion.

Cooking was Yatara’s passion from way back, where from a young age she was a full time cater. Eventually, she was able to make cooking her main profession when she realised people in Aotearoa were asking for the authentic flavours of Nigerian food. Along with freshly made cuisine, Yatara African Food also imports and sells food products.

22/04/2024

Maraky Vowells, (They/Them) is an Ethiopian/British multimedia Artist with goals of freedom. Influenced by their rich Ethiopian culture, their work encompasses elements of Language, Africanness, Gender, Decolonisation, Truth and Mysticism.

Maraky explores these ideas with various mediums such as text, printmaking, painting and film to illustrate their experiences as a Sufi-Orthodox Tewahedo student in Tamaki Makaurau. Motivated by a desire for liberation and revolution they are inspired by artists such as Toni Cade Bambara. Maraky aims to Create imaginative worlds that embody values of hope, justice and community with the intention that they will become reality. Hope as a discipline.

They continue to work towards these worlds with Mokopuna in mind. Maraky has won the Gerard Commissaris Award ‘24 and showcased their work at Maesteal and Lake House Arts Center. They aspire to continue to share their work and work with other artists and creatives.

21/04/2024

Inyange Dance Group are a collective of self-taught Rwandan girls in Aotearoa.
They perform traditional dances, inspired by the Ankole cattle - the most valuable possession in Rwanda. Their mission is to keep their culture alive through dance!

21/04/2024

Mary Moniola Chinwendu Adeoson-Akueche, also recognized by the artistic alias ‘Mary Dah Fairy,’ is a versatile artist leveraging their creative endeavors to establish connections with and derive inspiration from their ancestors within the Black diaspora.

Serving as a creative director in the realms of film and photography, they also distinguish themselves as a visionary artist, breathing new life into African hair techniques in their work. Through this exploration, they delve into the realms of pleasure, healing, and beauty, seeking novel avenues to foster communal ties.

20/04/2024

Discover the allure of authenticity with pure copper bracelets sourced directly from Zambia.

Crafted with precision and care, these bracelets embody the essence of craftsmanship. Shipping from Tāmaki Makaurau across the country, embrace the timeless elegance and holistic benefits of copper!

19/04/2024

The popular pop-up My Mothers Kitchen, led by chef Yeshi Desta, brings people together to share in their love of food and flavours from Ethiopia.
Having learnt how to cook from her Mother, Yeshi finds joy in sharing her food and culture with Aotearoa.

19/04/2024

Rooted in centuries of tradition, Burundian drumming holds deep cultural significance, serving as more than just music - it’s a language of communication, celebration and unity. Historically, drumming shared messages from the King and signaled events within the kingdom. Today, Burundian drumming captivates audiences with it’s intensity and rich cultural heritage. Join us as we celebrate the rhythms of Burundi!