VOT - Aotearoa Aroha!

Macrostructure · Post by **Macrostructure** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 7:32 am

Posted for AJ

"Greetings all!

A video and story for you...

For as long as I can remember, I have felt privileged to live in Aotearoa,
and have used my time here to manifest music and art. I believe Aotearoa to
be an oasis, rich in natural inspiration, opportunity, harmony and beauty in
an imbalanced world.

Recently I wrote a song Aotearoa Aroha, (Aotearoa = New Zealand, Aroha =
Love), and had a vision of traveling the country to collaborate on the
realization of this song. I applied for funding, and was rejected on the
grounds that the song had no commercial appeal. I made the video anyway,
living in an old van, traveling on a prayer, and busking to make ends meet

After many months of going it alone, its finished, and I am proud of the
video and everyone who believed in the vision. On an individual level Ive
seen it work magic on people. The magic born of trust, connection, and
giving

So far, its received no financial support which may mean that its unlikely
that many people will see this video through the usual channels, which I
think is disappointing, because its such a feel good blessing!! So now I
want to make it available to as many people as possible, and let the people
know it exists! It may sound self indulgent, but its about the concept of
co-creating and sharing an expression of Aroha. Its an example of a new
paradigm, on many levels at once, from conception to release.

Our world is dominated by dollars, private greed over public good, where the
most rapidly growing national economy is of the same country and regime
where people are blatantly controlled, imprisoned, tortured to death, and
have live organs removed for transplant, because they have a spiritual
practice! (Falun Gong practitioners in China). I dont accept a system on any
level, national or international, which condones this kind of criminal
behavior.

I dont accept that the modeling and expression of our art, music and culture must follow the trends and the marketing of our consumer products.

I dont accept that the marketing dollar should dictate what is fashionable.

I dont stand for our ongoing western cultural trend of bigger, badder,
louder, more violent, more aggressive, more shocking, sex / violence / fuck
it all mentality, that dominates our media, our culture, and our
international relations! Where does it end?

I stand for a new beginning. A new paradigm.

This ones for Parihaka, where the song grew wings.

Check this out... Its about sharing a gift, and passing it around. If we dont feel and share the Aroha, the love, then quite simply, theres less of it in the world

Special thanks: Tihikura, Rihari Singleton, Ryan Prebble, James
Coyle, Luke Bowman, Mea Grenell, John Grenell, Iain Hickling, Charlotte
Squire, Rio Hemopo, Mike Duffey, and all the extras!! (Sorry about the audio
latency its a streaming thing)

Chr, Aroha! AJ.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbMPXQP6bKc "

DeadlyKungFu · Post by **DeadlyKungFu** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 7:50 am

Congrats on finding the funding within yourself and friends to complete the project, 'they' could not have done better. Great song and video, truly.

Thanks for sharing.

COSM · Post by **COSM** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 8:32 am

Thats absolutley incredible AJ!! Ka pai bro

Pitch Black · Post by **Pitch Black** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 9:49 am

Beautiful! You namechecked most of my favourite places there bro.

Wharariki, Karekare, Kaikoura

Chur!

COSM · Post by **COSM** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 10:35 am

A lot of friendly familiar faces in that bunch also! Good to see Mike... Do you have his email bro.. I used flatted with him for a couple of years and have lost touch...