"It's the biggest band I've ever been in."
She described the Boomerang Project as a cultural and musical feast.
"At times it's loud, extremely proud and feathers do fly. But there are quiet, emotional moments, too, like when Laurence performs patu [and] moves alongside Aboriginal dancer Peta during our song Kahu or when Australia's Shellie Morris talks about how there are only 55 speakers left of her tribal language."
The Boomerang Project began last year and is led by a producer from each of the three countries. New Zealand producer Emere Wano said the collaboration was born out of a desire for the artists to explore the similarities between Gaelic, Aboriginal and Maori cultures.
The project had its debut at Womad in New Plymouth in March, and has since played at the Sydney Opera House for Homeground.
"The premiere on the mainstage at Womad was fantastic," Wano said.
"Weaving together the music and performance of the three cultures, with Moana's band backing the Aboriginal musicians and bagpipes melding with Horomona on taonga puoro; it was completely spine tingling. We're very excited about taking this to Scotland next month."
While it was a challenge to bring all the musicians together, Moana described the creative process as relatively painless.
"Each of us is fascinated by fusion; combining traditional with contemporary; and singing in English and in indigenous languages.
"For all of us, our culture informs our songwriting.
"When it comes to performing, we have Megan from Breabach on fiddle, her bandmates on their flutes are dancing around Horomona's koauau and songman Djakapurra [Australia] chants up a storm. All of us have learnt songs in each other's languages. It's a real celebration.
"Breabach were keen to perform Proud to Play a Pipe which was composed 300 years ago when pipes and Gaelic language were banned in Scotland. Scotty wrote a new haka to insert into the music," she said.
"I tell you, when those bagpipes are blasting, the band kicks in and Kemara, Laurence and Horomona are flying into the haka, it feels like a call to arms."
Former Te Kura o te Koutu teacher, Horomona Horo said the project was inspirational and highlighted the similarities of the three cultures.
"It challenged us to think about how we, as indigenous peoples, can hold strong to our culture in an ever-changing society."
Horomona said playing taonga puoro [traditional Maori musical instruments] in Glasgow would be a special experience.
"These are instruments and music that not a lot of people know about. People may have heard the purerehua or the conch played at rugby games, but not many people have heard the many more melodic instruments.
"Interweaving these with the instruments, songs and performances by Breabach and the Aboriginal performers is just magical."
The Boomerang Project will perform for the first time in Scotland on July 17 at the Hebridean Celtic Festival on the Isle of Lewis, followed by a performance as part of the Queen's Baton Relay in Glasgow and a VIP performance at Scotland House as part of the entertainment on the day of the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony. It will also perform at an open air concert at Glasgow Green.
The project is supported by Glasgow Life, Creative Scotland, Creative New Zealand, and the Australia Council.
