Kapa haka festival a driving force in attendance

Te Kura o Otangarei principal Danelle Unuwai. Photos taken by: Ngātiwai Trust Board.

Sitting in the heart of Whangārei, Te Kura o Otangarei is in a prime position for hosting a performing arts festival. The festival, Te Whakangahau Kapa Haka Festival, isn’t just about kapa haka, it’s about bringing together whānau, other kura, and the community.

The festival allows ākonga at the kura to connect with their whakapapa and explore, share and preserve the stories, values and identities of their hapū and iwi.

Weeks of preparation precede the event. Students are so involved that there’s a noticeable lift in attendance and engagement.

Kaiako and kapa haka instructors Terynne Mills-Barber, Manu Toeke and Linda Wikaira compose waiata about the kaupapa of the kura or about the hapū and iwi of Te Tai Tokerau.

Students immerse themselves in learning the haka and waiata, both new and traditional, as well as rehearsing and mastering footwork and choreography. They deepen their connection to te ao and tikanga Māori with each performance piece.

Kapa haka kaea (leader), Desmond.

Bringing everyone together

The festival is the result of a lot of collaboration. Also present are several navigators from the ‘I Have a Dream’ foundation, local kaimahi from Te Hau Awhiowhio | Otangarei Trust who support with various roles such as manning food stalls and providing first aid assistance, and also ringa atawhai (or “TK nannies”) who provide health checks – such as blood pressure and glucose levels – for whānau.

Laylyn-Jo, student.

Adorned in piupiu and tā moko, ākonga from Te Kura o Otangarei take to the stage with a palpable sense of pride and enthusiasm. Students from nine other kura are performing alongside them, creating an electric atmosphere. The audience is drawn into the energy of the performances and entertained by Pio Terei and Rob Stanley as MCs for the day.

The waiata convey messages of unity and strength, while the haka show power and passion, honouring tūpuna (ancestors) and invoking a sense of collective identity and kotahitanga.

Merina and Desmond are senior ākonga and kapa haka kaea (leaders) at the kura.

“I love how the festival brings everyone together,” says Merina.

 “Learning new songs for the festival makes me want to come to school,” adds Desmond.

Increasing attendance

Principal Danelle Unuwai has been at the school for the last seven years – four as full-time teaching deputy principal, two as acting principal and now as permanent principal.

She has seen the school roll fluctuate from anywhere between 70 to 120 ākonga – a byproduct of a transient community. Attendance has increased steadily over the last year, and she sees more and more whānau engaging with the school.

Danelle says that for the students, the festival is an example of Māori succeeding as Māori. While the festival is key, the kura has other strategies to promote attendance.

The school also removes some of the big barriers to attendance by providing stationery, as well as breakfast, morning tea and lunch.

Deputy principal, Terynne Mills-Barber, principal Danelle Unuwai and whānau connector, Rob Stanley.

Connecting with whānau

They also work hard to connect and communicate with whānau about absences. Matua Rob’s role at Otangarei is ‘whānau connector’ – it’s his job to connect with whānau and be a bridge between home and school, engaging ākonga whose attendance is poor.

It’s a strategy that looks at the wellbeing of the whānau, not just the ākonga who are not attending. The kura operates from the belief that if you cater to the needs of the whole whānau, the ākonga will be well and come to school.

Supporting transitions

Taniko, student.

Te Kura o Otangarei has a special transition class called ‘Te wāhi tūmanako’ (a place of hope). The class is for
Year 8 students (identified while still in Year 7) who may have additional needs and are not yet ready to transition to high school.

Led by kaiako Donna Heta, the class provides extra learning support to develop literacy and numeracy skills and self-regulation. It is designed to build self-esteem and confidence in a variety of ways to help better prepare students for high school.

The school also works alongside parents and whānau to support their children’s transition. And it’s working. At the end of 2023, all of the students from this class successfully transitioned to high school and have remained engaged in school with the support of Tikipunga High School.

Both new and traditional haka and waiata are performed.

Te Kura o Otangarei students Phoenix, Heilen, Te Ruinga, and Abednago.

Students put weeks of preparation into learning footwork and choreography.

Matua Rob and principal Danelle Unuwai kōrero with a young attendee.