Rotorua Boys’ High School head boy Jared Lasike’s Anzac Day speech attracted national media attention and he went viral on social media. Kelly Makiha finds out more about the 17-year-old who resonated with the country.
When Jared Lasike stepped off the stage at the Sir Howard Morrison Centre after his Anzac Day Rotorua Civic Memorial Service speech, he was expecting a handshake and maybe a pat on the back saying he did a good job.
But instead, he attracted national media attention in the NZ Herald and on television, and received hundreds of comments online from people praising his speech.
Lasike told the Rotorua Daily Post today the response to his speech had taken him a little by surprise.
“Going semi-viral definitely wasn’t in the realm of my intentions.”
Lasike spoke about his great-grandfather’s contributions at war and said their comradeship brought the country together like never before. But his speech also called out New Zealanders for their divisive nature and suggested Kiwis could learn more from their ancestors.
He said everyone was united in supporting the “boys overseas” during war, yet the divisions formerly reserved for the battlefield had gradually crept their way into daily lives and now divided people.
“In recent memory, I struggle to remember a time when our country truly came together. Divisiveness seems to be the new aim of the game, race, political beliefs and religion are all motivators for the separating of our people. People are more concerned with being correct and proving their point as opposed to being constructive,” Lasike said in his speech.
He said our ancestors came from all corners of the country yet stood as brothers to fight.
“They could see the purpose greater than themselves and put aside any petty and arbitrary differences.”
A member of the school’s debating team, Lasike was not a stranger to public speaking and delivered a speech at the school’s pōhiri at the start of the year to welcome students.
“My main points of advice in that welcome speech was for juniors to take all the opportunities they are offered at the school but also not take things too seriously, they need to have fun, enjoy themselves and make sure they stay healthy.”
Of Tongan, European and Māori descent, Lasike had played rugby and golf in previous school years but lately he had focused on his academic work and arts.
An accomplished pianist, he played piano in last year’s Lakes Performing Arts Centre show Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical and had recently played in the live band for the popular Rotorua production of Phantom of the Opera, which he described as an “incredible” experience.
He has also played a role in the past two Rotorua Boys’ High School and Rotorua Girls’ High School productions and is this year playing the keyboard and taking a musical directing role in the schools’ combined production of Jersey Boys.
As for the future, he’s unsure specifically what field he will go into but knows he wants to use his academic strength and love of sciences to help others, leaning towards a career in medicine.
He was a firm believer that anyone who had an advantage – and in his case that was an academic advantage – should use it to benefit those who were not so advantaged.
“I’d love to use my love and passion for the sciences to help others.”
Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.