Launch of 'Across an Ocean'

Speech at the launch of Natasha Urale-Baker's CD, 'Across an Ocean'

E muamua lava ona ou fa’atulou atu I le paia ma le mamalu o lo’u atunu’u Samoa ma le Pasifika ua potopoto mai I lenei afiafi, I le afio o tupu ma e’e o Samoa aemaise tatou alo ma fanau. Malo le soifua manuia, malo le soifua maua – Talofa, Talofa lava.

Thank you Rev Alfred Ngaro for he blessing and to Oscar Kightley for his warm introduction.

It is absolutely fantastic to be here this evening celebrating the launch of Natasha Urale-Baker's album, 'Across an Ocean'.

Making the decision to cross our ocean in many directions is our ancestors' legacy. Pacific peoples speak and act on metaphors, "Across an Ocean" can apply to all aspects of our lives.

The creativity, artistic expression and innovation of our Pacific peoples never ceases to amaze me.

Tonight, we are here to celebrate Pusi and Fatu Urale who chose to cross the ocean from Fagamalu, Savaii, and Lefaga Upolu, Samoa to New Zealand in 1974. The creative talent in this family comes from powerful genes, gafa and geneology and absolute courage to cross the ocean, on many occassions.

Sima is an international award winning film producer, director, and screenwriter, Makerita Urale is also a film producer and younger sister Maila is in the arts; Bill aka King Kapisi one of New Zealand's most renowned and celebrated hip hop artists and older brother Poutasi – a strong aiga.

Natasha met her husband, saxophonist Fred Baker in 1994 and they have a beautiful daughter.

This aiga sa – sacred family have gifted us and our community with their music, arts, language and cultures – that express our history, story, pain and joy. They have always been deeply committed to the wellbeing of our children, young people, families and community.

Tonight we celebrate Natasha. Her music with its distinctive Pacific flavour and our line up this evening is an illustration of our Samoan values of alofa, fa’aaloalo, and agaga - love, respect, reciprocity and spirituality, built on the foundation of families and extended families, aiga, aigapotopoto.

As you know, music is an integral part of our lives as Pacific peoples, with singing and dancing woven into the very fabric of our Pacific being, and the very sacred centre of everything we do and say in our daily lives.

Our Pacific musicians have had a major influence on New Zealand music and have helped New Zealand music achieve the enormous success it now enjoys. New Zealand is lucky, New Zealand is a Pacific nation.

Increasingly, our music and arts are not only an illustration of Pacific culture and life - they are also a platform for the economic development of Pacific communities.

Pacific music adds to the unique national identity and cultural flavour of New Zealand, it also contributes to our economy and that of our Pacific kin and neighbours.

A key focus of the Labour-led government's Pacific Economic Action Plan is providing the pathways for harnessing the potential that lies within Pacific people and communities. There are many opportunities for our people in the emerging and creative industries for Pacific peoples.

In the next couple of months we will be launching Starmap a dream being motivated by Nathaniel Lees which no doubt many of you here will have already heard of, and may even be involved in – I know Natasha is extremely supportive of this initiative.

Starmap is a website for and about Pacific artists, whether emerging, established or just plain interested – it is a place for Pacific artists to connect together in the spirit that is the Pacific way.

We want our Pacific communities to be increasingly aware of the opportunities available in the creative, emerging and growth industries, and the success of our Pacific musicians and the launch of Natasha's CD highlights one of the many ways our people can utilise their talents.

Natasha's album is aptly titled 'Across an Ocean'. We are all 'of' the Pacific, with the vast ocean binding and connecting us all. Natasha's journey, her music and her talent reminds us of our ocean 'Te Moana nui a Kiwa' and she is Pacific 'women'.

Natasha is an inspiration, particularly for our Pacific women, with the launch of 'Across an Ocean' encouraging others to overcome barriers, encourage success in the creative industries and to come together and support each other.

Congratulations Natasha – we are very proud of you and wish you all the best.