Singing out against suicide at Raumati Fest
Weeks of work by Northland youth taking part in a performing arts programme has culminated in a professionally-recorded single aiming to raise awareness of youth suicide. The reggae-style song, I’ll be here for you, was launched at a free music festival at Kaikohe’s Memorial Hall on Thursday. Other performers at Raumati Fest included top reggae acts Majic, One Tribe and House of Shem. The single was written by children and young people in the Tu Ake Performing Arts school holiday programme, recorded at Kaikohe’s Kohewhata Marae, and produced by Majic and House of Shem. Organiser Te Whenua Harawira said 60 children and youth, aged 8-24, had taken part in the recording project. The programme was open to all Northland youth, who spent a week at a time at various marae around the region. The only criteria was that they had to have an interest in performing arts and ‘‘be willing to give it a go’’. Several hundred people attended the Raumati Fest, which was held in conjunction with the RAID suicide awareness movement. As well as a fun day out it aimed to spread messages about safe driving, water safety, alcohol and especially youth suicide.
Image 1 of 8: Raumati Fest, Kaikohe. Photo: Peter de Graaf
