2018 was a bumper year for He Waka Kōtuia. For the first time ever, because of the sheer numbers we had regularly turning up to practice (75), we entered two groups and two separate brackets into the Otago Schools' Polyfest.
Takere
Our Takere group, which means 'hull of the waka', was our Monday practice group. This is where all of our rangatahi start their journey with us. It is in Takere that you learn waiata and haka, you learn about our values and the commitment needed to work your way in to the performance group (Te Tira Tū) or the competition group (Te Tira Tauwhāinga). What often happens as we work through to competition is that those rakatahi that don’t make the competition team drop out and we often don’t see them again. This year we dedicated all of our Monday practices to our Takere team.
It gave us an opportunity to move our more experienced performers back to give others a turn in the front rows and to try some of our younger members in onstage leadership roles. It also gave our Titirei an opportunity to grow as tutors. We give them opportunities to take a lead in tutoring, to take the content of a haka and make changes to add their own style, flair and energy and to teach that to a smaller group to be performed in front of the larger group.
It was a great performance and although there were lots of nerves going in, the audience was not able to tell the experienced performers from the more inexperienced. They gave it their all and if we continue to see that kind of commitment we would love to this same opportunity in the years to come.
You can watch the Takere performance here: 'HWK - Takere Performance Otago Polyfest 2018'
Tira Tauwhāinga
The Tira Tauwhāinga, or 'competition group' can only be 40 total on stage and 45 total in your travelling team.
When we went to competition in July, we took 5 travelling reserves, who learnt the National performance and whose contribution was a vital part of the competition performance who never made the stage. Polyfest gave them an opportunity to put all that practice, time and energy in to a great performance.
Following our return from the national competition there were a couple of major issues that the group dealt with. Regardless of those issues, the group was still able perform to the standard expected and they came off the stage feeling great about their performance. You can the Tira Tauwhāinga performance here: 'HWK - Tira Tauwhāinga Performance Otago Polyfest 2018'
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