Rain no dampener for WOMAD | Taranaki News | Local News in Taranaki

WOMAD 2007 was a huge success despite the rain and nearly 45,000 people from New Zealand, and around the globe, flocked to Pukekura Park in New Plymouth to join in the festivities.

The World Of Music, Arts and Dance festival aims to bring together and celebrate the talents of people from many countries and cultures and the event was an inspiring collaboration of ancient and modern, with traditional music and new artists performing side by side.

Inspired by Peter Gabriel, the first WOMAD was held in 1982 and since then there have been 150 festivals in 22 countries. The 2007 Taranaki event is the fifth time it has been held in New Zealand and the third time New Plymouth has played host to the event.

The festival draws artists from far and wide and the Mahotella Queens from South Africa and Yasmin Levy from Israel were particular highlights of this year's WOMAD.

The Mahotella Queens were formed in the early '60s and combine an explosive blend of traditional music, Marab South-African Jazz, rhythm and blues, soul and gospel.

A government-enforced discrimination policy forced them to disband in the '70s, but they re-formed in the '80s and have not stopped since.

They perform sell-out concerts worldwide and have notable performances under their belts including playing for Nelson Mandela at his 75th birthday.

Yasmin Levy is a master of the Judeo-Spanish style of ladino singing and her haunting, powerful voice resonates long after she stops singing.

She has produced two albums and has been nominated for a BBC World Music Award, evidence of a great talent.

WOMAD is now an annual event on the Taranaki calendar and the 2008 line-up will be highly anticipated.