Making Music at the Bottom of the World in Southland, Aotearoa/New Zealand

This volume brings together a number of perspectives on the musical landscape of Invercargill, a city at the bottom of Aotearoa/New Zealand. Invercargill is in many ways unique; it is relatively isolated, its access to liquor is controlled by a licensing trust, and it is home to the longest-serving mayor in Aotearoa. The musicking that occurs within Invercargill is surprisingly diverse and wide-ranging. This book acknowledges and explores many of the South’s musical communities, and in, doing so, illustrates the importance of music in local communities. It highlights the ways in which social connectedness, local identity and individual lives are enriched through musical activities being interwoven through communities.