The renowned folk-rock band Nepathya is set to perform in New Zealand, less than two weeks after returning from a successful tour of Canada. Having recently performed in the Northern Hemisphere near the Arctic Ocean, the band is now heading to the Southern Hemisphere, close to the Antarctic. The team is scheduled to depart this Monday.

While it is a common tradition for performers to visit New Zealand only as an add-on to an Australian tour, Nepathya has chosen to focus exclusively on New Zealand this time to honour their audience there, regardless of the size of the diaspora.

The concert will take place in Auckland, on New Zealand’s North Island, at the Due Drop Events Centre on the evening of Sunday, May 10. This marks the band’s second visit to the country after a nine-year hiatus; they last performed at Auckland’s SkyCity Theatre in 2017. Raj Maharjan, a member of the previous organising team, noted that their 2017 debut helped open doors for other Nepali artists in New Zealand.

Local organiser Rojan Bhattarai reported that ticket bookings are moving rapidly. "As the date approaches, excitement is visible everywhere," he said. Bhattarai added that the community is preparing to welcome the band with a grand Māori Haka performance.

New Zealand has become an increasingly popular destination for Nepalis, particularly for students, with the resident population growing steadily. A census from three years ago recorded nearly 7,000 Nepalis living in the country.

For lead singer and frontman Amrit Gurung, the trip is a sentimental one. "Whenever I think of New Zealand, I am reminded of Sir Edmund Hillary, who had great love for our country," Gurung shared. "I also remember my late headmaster at Gandaki Boarding School, Brian Wood." Wood passed away in the mountains while trekking in the Annapurna region during Gurung's school days. Gurung noted that his respect for New Zealand is rooted in the legacy of figures like Hillary, Wood, and the late scholar Satya Mohan Joshi, who visited New Zealand seven decades ago to build cultural ties.

Kiran Krishna Shrestha of Nepalaya, the band’s management, emphasised their commitment to the region. "Nine years ago, when the Nepali population was very small, we collaborated with local organisers to bring Nepathya here. Continuing that bond, we have purposefully kept this tour focused solely on New Zealand rather than linking it with Australia."

As with all their international tours, Nepathya is travelling with a full technical and management team to ensure a high-quality production. Amrit Gurung will be supported on stage by Dhruba Lama on drums, Subin Shakya on bass guitar, Niraj Gurung on guitar, Shanti Rayamajhi on madal, and Dinesh Raj Regmi on keyboards.