The most anticipated kapa haka event on the primary school calendar will be held in Tauranga this week.
Merivale School is hosting Ra Whakangahau - the Western Bay's annual primary and intermediate school kapa haka festival over two days, starting tomorrow.
In its 18th year, the festival involves performances from 1500 children
from 30 schools across the district, from Katikati to Paengaroa.
It is the second time Merivale School has hosted the event and principal Jan Tinetti says it will be a huge celebration.
"We first hosted it back in 1994 when it was just a one-day festival. There were only 10 groups performing then but this week we'll have 37 groups take the stage."
As it is a non-competitive event, groups aren't judged on their performances. Instead, the festival is a chance for junior and senior kapa haka groups to perform for their peers and whanau in a supportive environment.
Each group will perform for up to 15 minutes.
"They can perform what they feel most comfortable doing so that could be waiata, poi or haka," she says. "It's up to each school to decide what they want to do."
Some groups have been practicing for several months and the quality of kapa haka is expected to be of a high standard.
About 90 students from Merivale School are taking part and Jan says it was extra special for them to perform as hosts. The junior group will open the festival and the seniors will be the last kapa haka group on stage.
With each school bringing dozens of whanau to the festival, it's expected to attract up to 2000 people each day.
The logistics of staging such an event are "huge" but Jan says her team has had fantastic support from the Merivale Community Centre, kohanga reo, early childhood centre and numerous local volunteers. Funders have included ASB, TECT and The Lion Foundation.
"From the start, we wanted it to be a Merivale event, not just a school event. We've just had so many people put up their hands wanting to be involved. Local youth are putting up the marquees and there will be various groups running the food stalls."
The festival starts with a powhiri at 8.30am tomorrow and will continue until 3pm both days.
