From gentrification to reclamation:

REVITALISING CLUB CULTURE THROUGH INDIGENEITY AND COMMUNITY

By Vivek Ramachandran

Lady Shaka on her quest to re-Indigenise club culture

World-renowned DJ and artist Shakaiah Perez – who goes by Lady Shaka – grew up in Ponsonby in the era of gentrification, witnessing first-hand the effects of these changing demographics on her vibrant Māori and Pasifika whānau (extended family). Her personal story is reflected in her words:

“Re-Indigenising club culture is about reclaiming spaces that were taken from us, spaces where we were not made to feel welcome, especially, being on Māori land and talking about Māori Indigeneity and Māori reclamation of club culture,” Lady Shaka says when we catch up over Zoom.

When we speak, she has recently completed her Boiler Room performance in Bristol and is preparing for an intense summer of performances, including releasing her first single, performing at Glastonbury, touring East Asia – South Korea (Hajodaze Festival), Japan (Circus Osaka, Circus Tokyo), and DJing at multiple venues across Europe.

She continues: “We don’t just belong to hip hop and reggae music. We are electronic music as well. We’ve been out here making this music for a long time and we’re here to reclaim that space and re-club; to reclaim autonomy over these spaces and over the way we interpret electronic music.”

Of course, music has always existed within Indigenous culture across the world. When it comes to its re-Indigenisation, Lady Shaka views the movement as an endeavour to take back spaces that were appropriated – and then, repurpose them for Black and brown folks to operate and feel comfortable without fear of judgement, even from their own communities.

From gentrification to reclamation:

REVITALISING CLUB CULTURE THROUGH INDIGENEITY AND COMMUNITY

By Vivek Ramachandran