PolyFest and Sem A...

It's all go again with my teaching/tutorial classes starting last week and now into the second it's pretty full on but nothing like the workload that I had as a secondary school teacher.

As a tertiary tutor/lecturer there is more room to breath and make constant adaptations and considerations into the adult students backgrounds and the nature of the programme being taught.

And as each new year brings about a new group of students (except this year I had 8 students follow me into a new programme) it's neat to try and learn names and learn about each student and the background they bring with them.

Which brings me to the week of the PolyFest short for Polynesian Festival of dance that is by far the largest competition in the world which features dances from secondary schools throughout Auckland, even nationally and I heard about a school flying in from the Cooks (Cook Islands high school) who are also coming to dance or compete?

This festival has definitely developed over the years since the 1970s in South Auckland and I am so happy that my youthful kids are also wanting to participate for which I have granted them a days 'cultural fieldwork experience' as it's an important festival that passes on cultural knowledge through song, dance, music, tuition, stage presence etc. that are often not taught in schools (unless you're studying that particular topic).

Some schools even offer NCEA (National Certificate of Educational Achievement) credits for performance which is a massive acceptance of the effort and attainment that dedicated students can achieve within performances and tonight I'll be viewing our eldests' Tongan group performance and on the weekend I viewed a nieces Tongan performance as you don't have to join your own cultural group i.e. one can even join other cultural groups to learn their dance moves, cultural expectations in dance form and even learn some important values and words.

There are many groups taking the stage and performing a similar time each year over a 3 - 4 day period with various stages i.e. Maori, Samoan, Tongan, Cook Islands, Niuean, Indian and a diversity stage for various other cultural dance performances.

Not only is there a lot of dancing but there is also a lot of food to sample, and drinks, there are many stalls from various organisations to raise awareness or to sell products etc. I've thought about selling my books but because I already have a very busy life then that hasn't figured into the equation as such.

So off I will go and take a trip with our youth and their friends to view this year's PolyFest and I haven't even mentioned the Pasifika Festival which is also in the month of March in Western Springs park over a weekend with Pasifika performances, foods, wares and so much more. It must be Pasifika month in March...