Tigilau Ness Takes Centre Stage at The PumpHouse
The PumpHouse Theatre is thrilled to welcome Tigilau Ness to our stage on Sunday 8 June, performing alongside the incredible Jubilation Choir. Tigilau is an Aotearoa NZ-born Niuean musician and activist with over 40 years of writing and playing music and fighting against discrimination, racism, and social injustice. He was an active protester against the infamous 1970s dawn raids in Auckland, and protested at Bastion Point and against apartheid during the 1981 Springbok tour.
He is a highly respected and influential figure in the world of music in Aotearoa and is considered the godfather/matua of Pacific reggae. His band Unity Pacific have been writing and playing together for more than 20 years and released a 3rd album in 2016 Blackbirder Dread which was awarded Best Roots Album at the 2016 Aotearoa NZ Music Awards.
He also talks to school and community groups about his experiences raising awareness of injustice, discrimination and inequality and promoting peace, understanding and individual rights.
Enjoy reading more about Tigilau, in his own words below! And don’t forget to secure your tickets to see him in collaboration with Jubilation Choir at The PumpHouse Theatre this June – book now.
Fakalofa lahi atu, Kia Ora, Greetings.
My name is Tigilau Ness, I am a first generation Aotearoa NZ born Pacific Islander of Niue extract. I was born in May 1955 at Saint Helen’s Hospital, corner of Howe Street and Pitt Street, Auckland CBD right opposite the Auckland Central Fire Station.
Today I am a semi-retired father of 3 and grandfather of 9. My eldest Son is the Aotearoa NZ Pacific Hip-Hop Rapp Icon Che Fu. I do Reggae, he does Hip-Hop and Rapp. The two go together, like Father and Son, we say. I sing with The Auckland Jubilation Choir, he sings with the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra.
I have over forty years experience in the Aotearoa NZ Music industry. In 2009 I was awarded The Lifetime Achievement Award at the Pacific Music Awards in Auckland for my contribution to celebrating Pacific Reggae Music in Aotearoa NZ . My first ever Reggae Album release was in 2003 titled “From Street to Sky” which contains the iconic track “Though We Are”. This song was recently re-released in Te Reo.
My last Album release was in 2016 titled “BlackBirder Dread” which won a Tui Award for Best Roots Album at the Aotearoa NZ Music Awards the same year. A selection of songs from these albums are what I am performing in a musical collaboration with the amazing wonderfully gifted Jubilation Choir of Auckland. Come along and dine in a musical night of truly uplifting once in a lifetime, food for the soul experience.
