Hands across the waters

“The Stars are Gold 'n' Blues” organiser Kira Hundleby (left) with performers Wyeth Chalmers, Leo LaDell and Kylie Price. The concert at Dunedin Railway Station today will raise money for the Solomon Islands. Photo by Linda Robertson.
“The Stars are Gold 'n' Blues” organiser Kira Hundleby (left) with performers Wyeth Chalmers, Leo LaDell and Kylie Price. The concert at Dunedin Railway Station today will raise money for the Solomon Islands. Photo by Linda Robertson.

A multifaceted arts event has sprung out of a deep connection to the Solomon Islands, Shane Gilchrist writes.

Having organised various music, dance and art events in Dunedin, Kira Hundleby is now focusing on a gala night to raise money for people close to her heart.

The songwriter, dancer and performer is director and producer of The Stars are Gold 'n' Blues, a multifaceted fundraiser for the Solomon Outreach Society, a charitable trust that sends direct aid to the Solomon Islands.

Tonight's event at the Porters Lounge, Dunedin Railway Station, features a range of Dunedin talent, including musicians, poets and artists.

King Leo and the Growling Dogs, who will headline the show, will be preceded by Bill Morris and the Hinterland Band, as well as 2012 New Zealand Gold Guitar winner Kylie Price.

''There are some quite significant artists involved as well. Pauline Bellamy will curate the art gallery, although there is no particular theme to the work, which involves five or six artists, who will be selling their works and donating a percentage to the charity,'' Hundleby explains.

''We also wanted to commemorate the 100th anniversary of World War 1. There will be some poems read in commemoration of veterans. We felt it was important to acknowledge that as well as attempt to raise money for the Solomons. That will happen largely through the poetry in the show.''

Jenny Powell, whose poetry has been published in a wide range of literary magazines, will read poems, as will Hundleby's partner, Wyeth Chalmers, who is Powell's son.

Chalmers, who will be host and compere of the show, is an actor and comedian with a lengthy resume. He recently completed a tour with former Dunedin comedian Jeremy Elwood, from 7 Days.

Hundleby, who will open The Stars are Gold 'n' Blues show with some of her own songs, says she has a long and deep connection to the Solomons.

''My late mother was from there and half my family live there. I've lived there and worked there. But I had to leave in 2000 because of the ethnic tensions among militias.

''The Solomon Outreach Society is a charitable trust, which was founded by my father, Peter, at the age of 80.

''He was a Catholic priest for many years in the Solomon Islands and my parents spent more than 40 years doing aid work. My dad was pretty much the only white man working in all these remote villages. He has put a lot of his heart and soul into the Solomon Islands.''

Hundleby's sister, Irene, is completing a PhD in ethnomusicology in the Solomon Islands, studying women's music.

''She is living in my mother's village at the moment. She told me she went to the medical clinic recently because she was quite sick and there wasn't even paracetamol to buy.''

In May, the Solomon Islands was hit by severe flooding. More than 20 people were killed, nearly 10,000 made homeless and forced to live in emergency shelters and many are still recovering from the disaster.

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