Sixty-three students from Alexandra, Clyde, Omakau, Poolburn, and The Terrace schools have been putting in the mahi (work), polishing their cultural performance for the New Zealand Principals’ Federation Conference (NZPFC) in Queenstown.

Dunstan Kāhui Ako (community of learners) lead and former Omakau School principal Tracy Richmond said the students had banded together to learn performance skills of a high quality.

“We are planning to showcase the students more than once… it would be wonderful to find reasons to get [them] together to keep improving and learning performance skills,” Tracy said.

On Thursday September 7 whānau and other students attended a dress rehearsal of Ngā Kura O Haehaeata at The Terrace School hall (TTS).

A passionate end to a waiata during rehearsal.

For the rehearsal tamariki were adorned with traditional kākahu (clothing), moko (tattoo), feather earrings and hair pieces. 

Watch a short video of the dress rehearsal here.

Watch a longer version - 10 mins long - click below.

The ten minute long performance was made up of several waiata and a haka.

The group has been rehearsing for three hours per week, for the nine weeks leading up to the performance. 

Clyde School deputy principal Barb Lambeth said being a part of the group had flow on effects for students and the community.

“There is mana, it’s the next level up from school kapa haka, then there is tuakana-teina (the older students teaching younger)... gaining cultural awareness, growth, learning, understanding protocol and the meaning behind the songs.”

Barb said parents had said they were becoming more aware of cultural meaning as the tamariki were bringing it home and sharing the waiata, pukana (facial expression) and haka with wider whānau.

Barb and Tracy, together with the school community, thanked whaea (teacher) Karen Neill for her time, leadership and coaching of the combined group. 

Pictured from left are TTS students Meesha and Pagen, TTS whaea Karen, and Omakau School student McKenzi.

Another Central school, St Gerard’s, is also performing on the final day of NZPFC (September 13) at Queenstown Events Centre. 

The NZPFC theme is to ‘Reimagine Remarkable; Kia whakatomuri te haere whakamua’ (we build on the past to create the future), signifying a need to re-think, re-excite and re-imagine the work of principals and create new paradigms of thinking going forward. 

Many local principals will be attending to listen to speakers, network and discuss education and leadership. 

The combined school kapa haka group will also perform on the children’s stage at the Alexandra Blossom Festival on Saturday September 23 at 1pm, and at the performing arts extravaganza on Wednesday November 1 at Alexandra Memorial Theatre.

The annual Dunstan Kāhui Ako art exhibition is at Central Stories from Friday October 20 until Friday November 3. 

PHOTOS/ VIDEOS: The Central App