Just before cultural hour, a group of 22 students took the stage at the Pa, performing a mix of song and dance. The students, aged 13 and 14, were visiting Aotearoa from Hawaiki to work with emerging schools, performing on campus to thank the university for their hospitality while they were here. The person who organised the trip stated that “it’s part of a school project, so they learn about the waka and the migrations. They say that the descendants of those who lived in Hawaiki are the people of Aotearoa. This one (the performance) wasn’t scheduled; it was just a way for us to say thank you.”
Because it is said “that the descendants of those who lived in Hawaiki are the people of Aotearoa”, the students were brought over in order to perform, “but also learning how Maori kids live here today, and then giving the kids a look at things that they’ve never seen before.” As well as Hamilton, the group is set to travel across to both Taupo and Auckland to spread the celebration of their culture and learn how certain things are done differently in Aotearoa as opposed to Hawaiki.
The group opened with a song performed with a ukulele, followed by an introductory speech in their language to open their showcase to those who were gathered to watch. Next, the male students displayed a warrior dance that had been adapted into a more modern performance, dancing to one person’s commands throughout, and a metal drumbeat. What followed was an all female performance, and then two more dances that blended all of the students into one beautiful piece. Two female students closed the dances with a duet, and the group presented a taonga in thanks before singing one final song. They expertly performed all of this in their representative colours, red and white. Speaking to the organiser, he said that “the kids learn how to sing and dance when they’re little, and when we have the big festival every year, all the different villages come together and they perform.”
