Nine To Noon The husband and wife team behind Aro on life in a caravan
Mar 22, 2026
Charles Looker, musician and co-founder of Aro who works in education and with his iwi, and Emily Looker, musician and manager who balances producing, directing vocals and family life while touring. They talk about living and writing on the road in a caravan, weaving bilingual, genre‑blending songs, their daily caravan routines and tikanga, and plans for accessible nature-based tours.
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Touring Replaced Commuting And Rebalanced Work
- Touring life replaced a rigid A-to-B commute with a fluid A-to-G of community-driven stops like festivals and workshops.
- Charles now works about two days' worth of paid mahi while being with the kids full-time, shifting family roles and caregiving rhythms.
Anchor Mobile Family Life With Rituals And Shifts
- Build simple daily rituals to anchor family life on the road like karakia at breakfast and a book at night.
- Use shared shifts (eg Charles Mon/Wed, Emily Tue/Thu) so one adult can focus on mahi while the other has dedicated kid-time.
Tāwawa As A Place Of Reclaimed Imagination
- Tāwawa describes a liminal imaginative place beyond sight, aiming to reclaim childlike creativity adults lose.
- The album explores navigating back to that innocence while holding adult responsibilities and baggage.