Polynesian Festival

Mana (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 9, 27 October 1977, Page 7

Polynesian Festival

The 2nd annual Auckland Secondary Schools

Polynesian Cultural Competitions was held at Mangere College last Saturday 15 October, under agloriously blue sky and a very warm day. An estimated crowd of 4500 people enjoyed a rare treat of dancing and singing.

Because of the tremendous response from so many schools this year, the organisers were forced to hold the performances concurrently on two stages with the Maori Groups on one stage and the Samoan and Cook Island groups showingon the second stage.

However, this did not appear to mar the occasion

nor affect the spectators enjoyment of the performances.

The competition was divided into two sections for marking. Section B: Open to all schools who could offer anything from one to five items either in Maori, Samoan or Cook Island.

Section A: Open to all schools who could offer two cultural groups; Cups were awarded for the winner of every item in Section B. Certificates were given for 2nd and 3rd place-getters. In section A-, points awarded for the two cultural groups were totalled out of 1000 and the school with the highest points was awarded a

very handsome carved trophy. There were smaller trophies for 2nd and 3rd place-getters.

Section B: Maori Section: Winners were: Waiata:lst, Hato Petera; 2nd, Otahuhu College; 3rd, Rutherford.

Poi: Ist, Queen Victoria; 2nd Rutherford H.S., 3rd, Otahuhu College. Action Song: Ist, Hato Petera; 2nd Rutherford H.S.; 3rd. Otahuhu College.

Haka: Ist, Hato Petera; 2nd, St Stephens College; 3rd, Wesley College. Leadership won by St Stephens College.

Section B: Samoan Section: Winners were:

Sasa: Ist, Hillary College; 2nd, Otahuhu College; 3rd, Avondale College. Mauluulu: Ist, Hillary College; 2nd. Auck. Girls Grammar; 3rd, Avondale College. Faataupati: Ist, Hillary College; 2nd, Otahuhu College; 3rd, Avondale College. Siva Laau: Ist, Hillary; 2nd, Avondale College; no third prize.

Ailao: Ist, Avondale College; no 2nd and 3rd. Pese faamatala Taualuga — Ist: Otahuhu College; 2nd Hillary College; no third.

Section B: Cook Island Section:

Drum dance: Ist, Hillary College; 2nd, Seddon H.S.; 3rd, Mangere College. Action Song: Ist, Hillary College; 2nd, Seddon H.S.; 3rd, A.G.G.S. Section A:

Ist, Mangere College who offered Maori and Samoan cultures.

2nd, Onehunga High School who entered Samoan and Cook Island cultures. Next year’s festival will be held at St Stephens School,Bombay.