Kia ora Whanau,

We are so excited your child is in our Kapa Haka.

Memorial
This Sunday 11th February there is a planned unveiling memorial for Matua George Flavell. It is at Awhitu Regional Park. It starts at 8am and will finish around 1pm. Bring your own picnic.  All whanau are welcome and we would love to see as many of you as possible. Uncle George was a very special kaumatua to us. 

Waitangi Falls Unveiling
On Wednesday 6th March, our senior Kapa Haka and senior Student Council will be attending the unveiling and blessing at Waitangi Falls. We will be singing four waiata. This is a special ceremony with Ngaati Te Ata Waiohua, our Mana Whenua and Auckland Council to acknowledge Waitangi Falls as a waahi tapu. We are privileged to be invited to such an occasion. 

Franklin Multicultural Festival
Our first festival is the Franklin Multicultural Festival. This is being held on Saturday 16th March at the Indian Hall in Pukekohe. Glenbrook School will be performing after lunch in the afternoon. We will email a confirmed time when we know. 

Boys will need to bring and wear a pair of plain black shorts. Girls will need to wear dark underclothes and have their hair in a bun. 

Please make sure students are wearing no jewellery other than cultural artefacts such as a manaia, pounamu etc. No coloured chalk or hair spray. We will need parents to help put moko on, assist girls with hair and to prepare our students.

Again we will confirm more information closer to the time, however we wanted to give you a heads up about the dates and estimated time now.

If you child is unable to participate at the Franklin Multicultural Festival, please let me know urgently so we are not relying on you. 

Polyfest
This year we are taking some of our senior kapa haka students to Polyfest. This is a four day polynesian festival. We will be attending on Wednesday 20th March. However if you would like to take your own child to Polyfest, then we encourage you to. This is a wonderful opportunity to join in and celebrate the diverse cultures we have in Auckland. I will send out more information after Beach Camp. 

It is such a special opportunity to be involved in Kapa Haka. I hope your child enjoys this opportunity.

Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua.”- I walk backwards into the future with my eyes fixed on my past 

Nga manaakitanga, 

Ms Lysandra Stuart

Principal

stuartl@glenbrook.school.nz