Karim Sahai Images: WOMAD New Zealand 2007

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New Caledonia's Celenod presented a kanak dances workshop; a very popular hit with Womad participants.

On the evenings of March 16 – 18, the WOMAD festival returned to New Plymouth.

The event featured performances of contemporary world music from 21 countries. Among the more than 400 performers, international acts such as percussionist Bill Cobham, tango ensemble Gotan Project rubbed shoulders with New Zealanders including Don McGlashan and The Seven Sisters, Maori electronica group Wai, Hollie Smith and Whirimako Black. As well as the music performances the festival also offered workshops with many of the artists and shopping at a range of stalls.

In February organisers announced that WOMAD New Zealand would be an annual event from this year on.

Scoop contributor Karim Sahai was there to capture the World of Music and Dance in photography.

WOMAD New Zealand Website
Karim Sahai Photography

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A welcome speech by Rt Hon. Helen Clark marks the start of Womad 2007. The even will be held yearly in Taranaki from 2008.

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South Africa's singing Mahotella Queens bring bring explosive vocals to Womad, for the first time.

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Mahotella Queens' Hilda Tloublata.

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Guo Yue (China) performs a bamboo flute concerto of chinese classical melodies.

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Pandit Shivkumar Sharma (India) is a master of the 100-string 'santoor'.

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The Gotan Project, a musical franco-argentinian musical collaboration, on Pukekura park's Bowl stage.

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Femi Kuti and The Positive Force's hot afrobeat performance contrasted with the cool temperatures of the night.

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Tibet's Gyuto Monks chant sacred mantras (prayers)

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The group Etran Finawatra (Niger) presented tuareg and wodaabe musical cultures.

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Pukekura Park's Bowl stage

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Wetr (Lifou island, New Caledonia). The Kanak worlds of the visible and invisible is represented in Wetr's dances.

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Ensemble Shanbehzadeh (Iran). The father and son duo featured traditional music from Iran's Bushehr region.

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Naghib Shanbehzadeh's demonstrates breathtaking musical skills on Brooklands stage.

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The legendary Salif Keita and his band (Mali).

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Salif Keita's solo performance on the Bowl stage.

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Salif Keita's artistic ingenuity and charismatic presence has made him the forefront figure of west african music for several decades

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Samba Sunda (Indonesia) presented a unique brand of traditional and indonesian sounds.

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