Anika Moa Tours Regional Auckland with Chop Chop Hiyaa!

Beloved NZ musician, wonderfully wicked wahine and celebrated child-whisperer Anika Moa will waiata her way across Auckland for the 2018 Auckland Arts Festival in March.

Such was the success of her 2017 Chop Chop Hiyaaa! tour – a delightful show for kids based on her successful Songs for Bubbas albums – the Auckland Arts Festival invited Moa to take the show to regional Auckland.

In the terrifically cheeky, wonderfully naughty and magical world, witches and taniwha gobble you up and rats are naughty ninjas.

Moa and a special witchy friend take tamariki on a 45-minute rollercoaster ride of terrific stories, terrible taniwha and good old fashioned singalongs.

Auckland Arts Festival Artistic Director, Jonathan Bielski says, “In 2018, we wanted to send the festival magic out into the far flung corners of our region and there are few Kiwi performers more magical than Anika. We are thrilled she took us up on the idea.”

The original Songs For Bubbas albums were born out of long nights, long car drives and long temper tantrums from her three boys. They began as a way to calm or amuse her tamariki, but became a wonderful channel to tell them stories, and teach them waiata and the marvel of music.

Moa says, “My aim is to make my kids shows engaging and educational. Kids learn basic Te Reo, the colours and how to count: it makes them feel proud.

“They learn the art of storytelling, too. When you make up wild tales of rats that love to karate chop or a witch that loves to eat little girls, it sparks a child’s imagination,” Moa says.

The Auckland Arts Festival season of Chop Chop Hiyaaa! will stop off at Helensville War Memorial Hall, Orewa Community Centre, Titirangi War Memorial Hall, The Surf Club at Muriwai, Warkworth Town Hall, Wellsford Community Centre, Clevedon Community Hall and Waiuku Memorial Town Hall. Full dates and details are outlined below.

Auckland Arts Festival 2018 runs 8-24 March.

DATES AND LOCATIONS	Helensville War Memorial Hall – Sat 10 March, 11.00am Orewa Community Centre – Sat 10 March, 4.00pm Titirangi War Memorial Hall – Sun 11 March, 11.00am Surf Club at Muriwai – Sun 11 March, 4.00pm Warkworth Town Hall – Fri 23 March, 11.00am Wellsford District Community Centre – Fri 23 March, 4.00pm Clevedon Community Hall – Sat 24 March, 11.00am Waiuku Memorial Town Hall – Sat 24 March, 4.00pm
TICKETS	GA $10 Family Pass $28
BOOKINGS	www.aaf.co.nz
DURATION	45mins no interval
REVIEWS	“I don’t think I’ve seen a better show for kids than this. Funny, joyous, musical.” — Off the Tracks “It was a joy to watch so many children having an absolute blast busting out their best dance moves… A must see for children, parents and caregivers alike, guaranteed to entertain and make everyone laugh out loud and sing along.” — Bridget Herlihy Ambient Light
FOLLOW	@aklfestival | #aklfest
ABOUT THE AAF	Taking place annually in March, the Auckland Arts Festival is a globally recognised event that celebrates people and culture, and showcases the unrivalled location, cultural diversity and vibrant energy of New Zealand’s largest city. Over 1.7 million people have attended the event to date. Auckland Arts Festival is administered by the Auckland Festival Trust. Trustees are John Judge (Chair), Rick Carlyon, Angela Clatworthy, Evan Davies, Sarah Judkins, Tarun Kanji, Margaret Kāwharu MNZM, Jim Moser, Ben Taufua and Fred Ward. The executive team includes Chief Executive David Inns and Artistic Director Jonathan Bielski. The Trust receives core funding from Auckland Council through the Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Act, and Creative New Zealand through the Toi Tōtara Haemata programme. Significant support for AAF 2018 is received from Foundation North, Pub Charity, NZ Community Trust and The Lion Foundation.