Created in collaboration with musician/lawyer/activist William Kadi, the British High Commission and the British Council, Kastom Konnect SongHub is Solomon Islands first songwriting camp facilitated by APRA AMCOS New Zealand. The project aims to be the beginning of a new era of creative collaboration and cultural learning exchange programmes for the songwriter communities of Solomon Islands and APRA AMCOS.
The programme involved two key songwriter / producers from Aotearoa travelling to Honiara in the Solomon Islands to spend a week with 7 Solomon Islands songwriters.
The broad objectives of the program were to provide an opportunity for cultural exchange and learning, foster community among Solomon Islands songwriters, provide them with tools to aid their creative processes, and inspire creativity and connection for all participants. Kastom Konnect also presented a forum for APRA AMCOS to engage with the broader creative community and third party stakeholders in the region.
Aotearoa songwriter /producers: Noema Te Hau III, Christian Tjandrawinata
Solomon Islands songwriters: James Kauhiona, Zina Lesuvaka, Heinzdee Koromako, Zaynab Taisia, Lanisha Rore, Selwyn Do'oro
Songs were written in a mixture of languages – English, Pijin, and a variety of regional and local languages. The songs were workshopped, performed at a live showcase and broadcast on local radio. There are six songs which came out of the program.
After completion of the week, William Kadi travelled to The Hague to be present for ICJ hearings from an unprecedented 110 nations and international nongovernmental organizations. The focus of the hearings relates to the effects of climate change in the Pacific Islands. Invited to appear at a side event organized by Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC), Kadi performed ‘Ocean Cries’ during the opening ceremony. A song written only a few days earlier at Kastom Konnect SongHub!
Director of NZ Member Services Mike Hall travelled to Honiara to help facilitate the program.
“Assisting in the co-ordination of the Kastom Konnect SongHub songwriting camp in the Solomon Islands was truly extraordinary experience. The warmth and generosity and overwhelming hospitality we experienced were deeply moving.
Supported by the British Council, the British High Commission, and remarkable local organization Dreamcast, the camp was a testament to the power of collaboration and cultural connection. The songwriting sessions produced a wealth of creative and impactful work that resonated deeply with everyone involved.
This unforgettable journey not only highlighted the rich languages and experiences of the writers who attended, but also the shared human spirit that music can so beautifully express.”