The Pacific’s longest-running contemporary music festival has joined the 2017 Games to inject Vanuatu and the region’s unique cultural energy into the evening programme.
The annual festival (usually held in September or October) celebrates Pasifika cultural and identity through fusion of sounds and instruments.
This year Fest’Napaun is relocating to the Korman Stadium precinct offering evenings performances (December 8 – 14).
As always it is a free event with the usual stalls selling kava, food and merchandise.
Dozens of local bands will encourage the big crowds to ‘play on’ into the night with all the wild diversity and combination of styles Vanuatu produces – kastom music, stringband, gospel, hip hop, rock and reggae.
The local line-up features the recently reformed group, Huarere – famous for pioneering the fusion of reggae with kastom music. International artists representing our amazing region include acts from Papua, Fiji, Kanaky/New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, and Samoa.
Ace Fijian band InsideOut brings classic and contemporary takes on reggae; Samoan sibling Emily & Josh Williams (by way of Aotearoa and Australia) provide great Pasifikan soul and R&B; and Sorong Samarai gives us a glimpse of a united ancient and future Papua.
Following a week-long visit to Vanuatu, The Queen’s Baton Relay will say farewell on Wednesday December 13 enroute to Australia for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
The Baton is undertaking its longest relay in its history – covering 230,000km in 388 days.
