Meeting Beyonce

by Kiri Nathan

Meeting BEYONCE

How does that happen????

Through friendships and social media!...thats how!

Many people have asked the question and to answer you all, this is how it happened.  I was sitting at home falling into Beyonce depression as I watched all the fb posts from my friends that had just been to the first Beyonce concert in Auckland or friends that were gearing up to go! I cheekily popped up a post of my own to put some feelers out there saying "If you see Beyonce, can you tell her YEESSS Ill make her a gown or Korowai, Yesssss Jason will carve her a Pounamu and Yyyeesss she can come over for a BBQ before she leaves" with the mind frame of 'you never know?' I received a pm from one of my sons friends who happened to work in a shoes store in New Market.  The day before my post she and her friend had a man walk into their store wearing custom shoes, they didn't know who he was but they knew he was someone because there were only 10 of his particular shoes made in the world! so they gave him spectacular kiwi service, to which he was so appreciative he offered them free tickets to the Beyonce concert.  This man just happened to be Beyonce's uncle and stage manager for the tour.  This same girl told me she had his number and should she try and see if Beyonce would indeed like some Taonga?? I told her to go for it! and this is how it all unfolded...Beyonces unlcle said she would absolutely love this type of gift, he contacted her Tour manger of 10years and came back to us.  They said due to her schedule it may not happen at all and we definitly wouldn't be able to meet and gift the Taonga to her due to security, but could we please come to the arena and deliver it to the tour manager.  Jason wasnt too happy about this at all as it was hours of mahi (work) and thousands of dollars of pounamu and weaving just to be handed over and not know if it woudl be given correctly.  Jason and I had a korero around having a conversation with them about how kawa and tikanga should be adhered to and we headed to Vector.  On arrival Bey's uncle met us and took us to meet the tour manager.  He asked us to sit and explain what it was that we were gifting. In retrospect I can see he was making sure we weren't axe murderers or stalkers! What Im sure was meant to be a quick korero and hand over of goods turned into almost an hour of explanation of Maoridom, Kawa, Tikanga, Whakairo (carving) and Raranga (weaving)...korero about our Tipuna (ancestors)..the tour manager just happened to be half African Amercian and half American Indian, so he too was pulling out old photos of his stunning American Indian grandmother...we had a lot of common ground and we could tell his respect of indigenous culture was strong and true.  Instead of taking the Taonga to later gift to Beyonce, he invited us to stay and watch the show from the VIP area, he asked the tour videographer to record some of our korero (talk) and explain the significance of these Taonga for the tour video and he then arranged for us to be brought to the back of the stage to gift the Taonga in person to Beyonce at the end of her performance....

We weren’t allowed to take photos while presenting her with the pounamu and contemporary korowai but this is how it rolled....

Bey's final song halo was our cue, her uncle came and ran us from our gifted VIP seats along Bey's floor staging past all the screaming fans just before she turned and ran off through the same staging...he rushed us through to backstage where Stan Walker and every Maori and Nz'er that knew how to do a Haka was waiting! Stan led a powerful and moving Haka and we all supported...the room was filled with Mana and respect for this incredible woman...everyone was emotional...I said a quiet Karakia as I approached her.

'Kia ora Beyonce, my name is Kiri, my husband Jason and I have made you some Taonga (Precious item) so you will always be connected to Aotearoa (Land of the long white cloud, New Zealand), the people..the land.. you will always feel our love for you' I placed the korowai on her, Jason placed the pounamu on her, whilst doing so I explained the significance of each of these valued Taonga...a brief Whakapapa (genealogy) of the stone and then presented her with a Toki (pounamu adze) for Blue Ivy cut from the same block of Pounamu (Greenstone)...'these two Taonga are cut from the same stone...they will keep you and Ivy connected to each other and Aotearoa they will keep you safe on your journey, I'm going to Hongi  you now' I explained what that was and talked her through it... (Maori greeting, pressing of the noses, exchange of ha…breath of life)
I gave her a kiss and told her NZ loves her...she burst into tears and gave me the most genuine, squeeeezey hug!!!!....
She was overwhelmed by the Haka and the gifts she couldn't stop thanking us and everybody who performed the Haka!!!...
Beyonce!! You are one outstanding woman and human being!!!..it's no wonder the whole world loves you!!!!

All in all, it was in incredible experience and one that we were  extremely humbled to be a part of.  If you put good out there it is returned to you.....

https://www.facebook.com/KiriNathanFashion/photos/a.627449707295589.1073741829.130602303647001/659145970792629/?type=3&theater