Batucada Chegou – we are here, we’ve arrived, we are strong and proud

The theme of our CubaDupa 2024 performance is Batucada Chegou – we are here, we’ve arrived, we are strong and proud. It was reflected in our stage show, in our costumes featuring a new fabric design by director Tim Cooke, and in the giant signs which were paraded alongside us, written in Portuguese, English and te reo Maori. Even our drums were decorated to match – together with handmade flags, handed out to our audience so they could join in the fun.

It was a completely cohesive presentation, months in the making.
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Fun in the sun in the teeth of a howling southerly

It’s not often that we have to wear thermals and our special Batucada warm and snuggly red sweatshirts for a gig in February – but there you go. That’s the unpredictable Wellington weather for you, especially in these days of climate change.

We’ve played at the Island Bay Festival Parade for many years, and really enjoy it. It’s a long parade that goes all the way down The Parade to Shorland Park on the waterfront. It’s quite a tricky one to get right, timing-wise. In past years we’ve either gone too slow (2023) and arrived so late there wasn’t time for us to play at the Rotunda, or we’ve galloped along (2021) – not easy when you’re carrying a big drum – and arrived very hot and sweaty and completely knackered.

So it was a bit of a miracle that this year (a bit like Goldilocks) we managed to get it just right. Not too fast, not too slow. And also not that easy marching into the teeth of a howling southerly.
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On-stage in a multicultural extravaganza

In 2023, for the first time, Wellington Batucada were invited to take part in the Diversity Festival. As we’re such a large, loud band, we don’t get to do proper indoor stage performances on a proper indoor stage that often, so it was great to get the opportunity to do our thing at Victoria University’s Memorial Theatre, which was the venue for the event. Various members of the band were also featured in other performances throughout the night, which was great, as we were able to watch each other as well as perform!
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Fairy lights on the waterfront

Walking Stars is a night-time fundraising event for the Cancer Society, with participants walking a half marathon or a 12km loop in Wellington city. It’s the partner event for the Relay for Life. We have supported both events for many years now, drumming and dancing for the walkers as they head around the waterfront.

Walking Stars brings people together in a fun, vibrant environment to raise vital funds in support of local people living with cancer.

We give the walkers a big lift and we always get lots of smiles and waves from them, plus a few funky dance moves thrown in for good measure.
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