Thousands go mad for 21st Womad NZ festival; Pro-Palestine protest during Ziggy Marley’s set

Ibibio Sound Machine's Womad NZ set on Saturday, March 16, 2024 at the TSB Bowl stage was popular with festival-goers, drawing a large crowd ready to dance along and enjoy the music.

Womad NZ had all the ingredients of a great 21st party when it came to Taranaki over the weekend. From an incredible lineup, featuring local and global artists including festival headliner Ziggy Marley and local band Fin Rah Zel, to plenty of food, dancing, and more than 40,000 guests attending the three-day festival.

Image 1 of 86: The Womad letters appear in several locations at the 2024 Womad NZ, with some being easier to pose on than others, with only ducks getting close to this particular set. Photo /Ilona Hanne

This year’s festival, which marked its 21st year in New Plymouth, was packed with locals and visitors alike, all keen to get into the festival vibe and join in the party.

For 9-year-old Anja Howkivitz, from Auckland, it was “better than last year” because this year she was in charge of her family’s musical choices.

“Last year my parents got to pick what we went to see, but this year they are letting me, and I like lots of dancing so I am choosing the music that we can dance to.”

Her festival picks included Angolan-Portuguese Kuduro musician Pongo as well as DakhaBrakha and, her favourite, Ibibio Sound Machine.

“They were the best because everyone around us was dancing, and that’s what I like best.”

For 10-year-old Ruby Scott the festival was a mix of work and play, as she helped her parents and sisters serving up plenty of sausages from their food truck “Banger Boys”.

Her dad Will Scott, said he, partner Shannon Gray and their daughters, Ruby, Aisha, 15, and Amy, 23, had come from Tauranga to work at the festival.

“We’ve come a few times, 2019 was the last time, and it seems we were missed, we’ve had a few people say they are glad we are back.

Ruby Scott, 10, was serving up hundreds of sausages from her family's food truck, Banger Boys, during Womad NZ 2024. Photo / Ilona Hanne

Shannon says it’s the perfect “working holiday” for the family.

“It’s worth Ruby missing a couple of days off school for this. It’s such a family friendly festival, it’s the best in that respect. We can’t take her to some of the festivals, but this one is safe and a really good experience for her.”

When not serving hungry customers, Ruby was enjoying exploring the sights, sounds, and even some of other tastes, of Womad NZ.

“I had some of the Hungarian fried bread, and it was good, and I’ve had a henna tattoo done, and my hair braided. I like the kidszone and being able to walk around and see everything.”

When it came to festival food, while she had happily tried some others, the food from Banger Boys was still the best, she said.

“I know it’s good, because I help make it.”

The sound of laughter rang loud at the Te Paepae Stage at Womad NZ 2024 on Sunday, March 17, as nearly 200 festival-goers enjoyed DR Aseem Guatam's laughing yoga workshop. Photo / Ilona Hanne

As well as plenty of global music, there was also the sound of laughter to be heard from the Te Paepae Stage on Sunday, when around 200 people attended a laughing yoga workshop run by Dr Aseem Guatam. Inhibitions were thrown away as festival-goers learned the art of joy cultivation through the exercise.

Festival-goers enjoyed DR Aseem Guatam's laughing yoga workshop. Photo / Ilona Hanne

Lyn Muscott, from Palmerston North, said she had marked the workshop as a must do on her Womad app before travelling to the festival.

“I thought it sounded like, well, a laugh, and that’s exactly what it was. I think we all need to learn to laugh a bit more, and actually, now I’ve done the workshop I do feel better inside. I would never have tried this if I hadn’t been at Womad, and that’s what I have always loved about this festival, the chance to try new things.”

She was also looking forward to trying some jollof rice, which was being cooked later that Sunday at the Taste The World stage where Nigerian singer Eno Williams was demonstrating how to cook the African speciality.

“It originated in Senegal,” Eno told the crowd of around 300 people who had come to watch her cook, “and the Senegalese people travelled, and took this with them, so it became popular in other parts of Africa, including Ghana and Nigeria”.

Eno Williams of Ibibio Sound Machine was demonstrating how to make jollof rice on Sunday for one of the Taste The World sessions at Womad NZ 2024. Photo / Ilona Hanne

There are often arguments over which nation makes it the best, she said.

“But for me, it doesn’t matter. Jollof rice is always tasty.”

The dish is served at any kind of party, she said.

“Weddings, naming ceremonies, parties, Sundays, any reason really. It’s popular and it brings people together.”

Witch cast a spell at Womad NZ 2024, with each of their performances over the weekend drawing a large crowd. First formed in the 1970s, Witch has an inter-generational lineup. Photo / Ilona Hanne

While Womad is focused on bringing people together through the arts, there was some division at this year’s festival, with some objecting to the choice of Womad headline act, Ziggy Marley (son of the late Bob Marley).

In February this year, several groups - Hala.aotearoa, Artists for Ceasefire and Aotearoa for Ceasefire - had called for him to be dropped from the lineup, citing concerns around a concert he performed at in 2018, which helped raise US$60 million for the Israel Defence Force.

A small but visible number of pro-Palestine protesters attended Womad, carrying flags and wearing tshirts expressing their support for Palestine.

When Marley performed on Saturday night, some of the protesters silently walked across the grass area, holding and waving their flags.

Brazilian Taciano Milfont, who lives in Tauranga, said his flag was taken off him by a security guard during the protest.

“I was walking, with my flag wrapped around me, and my mobile phone torch on, shining at it so people could see, and be reminded of the conflict. The flag was taken away from me, which I don’t think was fair, I saw so many people wearing other flags over the weekend. There were many Ukrainian flags I saw, and during the Ukrainian band’s performance many people were waving flags.”

Despite having his flag taken off him, Taciano was back at Womad for the Sunday programme.

“I still like Womad. I am still here to enjoy it.”

He was one of the estimated more than 40,000 attendees to be doing exactly that over the three-day event which featured over 45 international artists performing across eight stages. More than 500 volunteers and 1000 staff members kept the event running smoothly, and some are still working over the next five days as the site is returned to its natural state.

Womad NZ programme director, Emere Wano, says the festival has left her and her team feeling “exhilarated”.

“We have a determined conviction to deliver a wonderful experience to our people, audiences and artists alike. The current global atmosphere presents many challenges - economic, climate and geo-political, and to get to this point of the festival, with thousands of happy people, we are feeling exhilarated by our Womad community and their response.”

Suzanne Porter, the chief executive of the Taranaki Arts Festival Trust, Womad NZ’s partner, said Womad is testament to the power of music and culture in bringing people together.

“The spirit and dedication of everyone involved has once again created an exceptional festival experience.... A heartfelt thank you to all who joined us in this celebration.”

Powerful singer-songwriter with an impressive vocal range, Moonlight Benjamin, was a popular performer at Womad NZ 2024, charming festival-goers with her raw and emotive sound. Photo / Ilona Hanne