The 1995 ASB Auckland Secondary School's Māori & Pacific Islands Cultural Festival (ASSMPICF) is being hosted by Mt Roskill Grammar School, on the 16, 17th, and 18th of this month, and is open to students attending Auckland Secondary Schools. It is by far the most significant and largest event of its kind, boasting more participants than the Commonwealth Games.
Co-ordinator Russell Su'a says the ASB Festival mana is the direct result of the different communities working together.
The aim of the festival is to preserve and nuture the different cultures of NZ, and the South Pacific. Although this area is the main focus of the Festival, there are now culture groups performing, who represent countries from around the Pacific such as Melanesia and Asia. The Festival also aims to bring the different groups together in celebration and sharing of each others cultures.
There is a competitive section and a non-competitive section, the latter is for beginners groups that will progresss into the competitive section.
Each group has 20 minutes of performance time on one of the five stages, running simultaneously throughout the festival. Prizes are awarded for the best group in each of the five major sections, Māori, Samoan, Tongan, Niuean, and Cook Island, plus awards for each item in each section and a Best School Award. All told, there are 156 teams taking part.
Fourty groups have entered the Māori section, including a number of schools such as St.Kentigern College, who have never before participated in the twenty year old event.
The eight adjudicators come from as afar afield as Northland, the East Caost, and Wellington. All have considerable experience at judging Māori performing Arts. Headed by Huri Callaghan, the panel of judges are Selwyn Parata, WiremuTawhai, Nick Adams Te, Aroha Paenga, Moehau Reedy, Horowai Maniapoto, and Miria Rose.
This week in He Rerenga Kōrero, we'll look back at notable performances from last year's Festival which was held at Mount Albert Grammar School.
Puketapapa - Mt Roskill Grammar School who performed for the second time last year, are the host this year. We listen to their entry "TAUTOKO" which explains how the group came to support the Festival.
Te Ahi Ka Roa - Manurewa High School - began the competitive section in 1994, setting a very high standard. There poi item "Nga Puna O Hokianga" ," The Springs of Hokianga " tells of a historical background of a child being left to look after the Hokianga area, while Kupe who is acclaimed to being the first discoverer of Aotearoa NZ left to return to Hawaiki.
Te Kura O Hirere - Hillary College were the first to host this Festival in1976. There waiata-a-ringa composed by Peter Tamiana pays tribute to the late Eruera Ted Pomare.
Te Roopu Kapa Haka O Kahurangi ki Maungawhau, Auckland Girls Grammer School, perform their POI item called "Toku Reo, He Reo Rangatira", "My Language is of great Importance".
Sacred Heart College and St.Marys College are both steeped in the traditions of the Catholic Church, and of their respective founders - the Marist Brothers and the Mercy Sisters. Both colleges have amongst their past pupils, prominent Māori including the Late Sir James Hēnare (SHC) and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (St.Marys)
1994 was the first year that the Māori culture group from either College has appeared and competed in this Festival. The whaikorero was by Eruera Rangi who identifies himself as belonging to the Waikato tribe. He acknowledges the dead, the elderly who are present and pays homage to the first three place getters of the 1993 ASB Festival. This is followed by their two part entrance, composed by Piripi Cope of Ngapuhi, which welcomes the many tribes gathered.
Nga Tapuwae the overall winners of the Māori section performing their Haka composed by Te Kepa Stirling.
Nga Tapuwae first appeared in 1977 and have hosted the Festival four times.