Kia Ora e te Whanau,

On Wednesday 20th March, Polyfest 2024 begins. Ms Stuart will be taking a small group of Kapa Haka seniors to Polyfest. Those students will receive a separate notice on Monday.

However if whanau would like to take their own children to Polyfest please email the school to let us know. Anyone can attend Polyfest, this is not just for Kapa Haka whanau. It is a fantastic week of championing the amazing cultures we have here in Tamaki Makaurau, 

Polyfest is the Auckland Secondary’s School Maori and Pasifika Islands Cultural Festival. It is from March 20th to 23rd and is held at the Manukau Sports Bowl. 

The ASB Polyfest festival features traditional music, dance, costume and cultural speech competitions, and is one of the most recognised events on the Auckland calendar. It’s a showcase of New Zealand’s diverse cultures and a celebration of youth performance.

Students traditionally compete on six stages, performing traditional items from the following cultures – Cook Island, Māori, Niue, Samoa, Tonga and Diversity stage featuring performances from a range of cultural groups including Fijian, Tokelau, Chinese, Korean and Indian.

The four-day festival typically opens with a flag raising ceremony conducted by Tainui Kaumatua, Stage Representatives, along with the Kura Matua Host Schools and the other Mana Kura Host Schools for each stage. This ceremony takes place at sunrise on the raised ground overlooking the Māori Stage. Following this is the pōwhiri (official welcome) which is the formal welcoming of guests (manuhiri) by the hosts (Tainui and Pacific Community Leaders). The ceremony progresses with the tapu (sacredness) surrounding manuhiri being removed, and all become ‘one’. Once this is complete, the festival can begin with speeches and performances.

For more information on this amazing event please check out: https://www.asbpolyfest.co.nz/p/4606-venue

If you intend to attend Polyfest 2024 with your child during school hours, please email the office to let us know. It is such a beautiful that can only be found in Aoteraroa. 


Tātou ako tonu ai, We are forever learning.

Nga mihi,
Ms Lysandra Stuart
Principal