Rotorua Samoan Language Week: Students express themselves through Pasifika dance

A scene from Jeremiah Tauamiti's Liliu, which is being screened at the Library for Samoan Language Week. Photo / Supplied

There was high energy and expression through dance reverberating in the Rotorua Girls' High School hall as part of Samoan Language Week celebrations.

The inaugural Rotorua Samoan Language Week Koniseti 2021 is a free community event.

It is running until June 5, hosted by Rotorua Girls' High School and supported by the Ministry of Education, Rotorua Library, and Our House Restaurant.

On Friday, 70 Rotorua Girls' High and Rotorua Boys' High School students got among a showing and workshop with choreographer Raisedinland and XY Dance Collective.

Choreographer Raisedinland Iose said the workshop included what was called a "muscle and bone" in contemporary dance, which got people building up a sweat, and had everyone moving and feeling the space.

Then thee students got to show off some of a repertoire work of the dance piece that the collective brought down, he said.

Iose said the genre was contemporary with a fusion of Pasifika, and the energy was amazing.

"It's been a while since I've been to a workshop with high school kids where the energy matched what we were giving.

"It was really nice to be among it and made our jobs easier. It was very fun."

Behind the scenes with Jeremiah Tauamiti on Liliu. Photo / Raymond Sagapolutele

He said with workshops like these, he enjoyed giving youth the same experience he had.

"Also showing them how fun it can be to be a dancer, how fulfilling it is, and just making them smile."

Iose said he started dancing when he was in Year 11, and had been dancing professionally since 2017 after he graduated from Unitec.

Now he is a fulltime civil engineer student while running the dance collective.

He believed it was important to celebrate events such as Samoan Language Week to help keep the culture alive.

He said having a whole week of celebrating the Samoan culture and language nationally around New Zealand was a good feeling.

Fiona Collins, currently the Rotorua Girls' High School Creative in Schools artist, is organising the inaugural Rotorua Samoan Language Week Koniseti.

It is a pilot for what is hoped will become an annual local event during Samoan Language Week.

The official opening ceremony for the Koniseti was held yesterday

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Programme

May 30: Official ceremony (closed to public).
May 31: Library display opens, including "Aso Sā-moan" by Elisabeth Kumaran.
June 1: Lunchtime Samoan language basics at RGHS.
June 2: Liliu, short film by Jeremiah Tauamiti, showing at library.
June 3: Liliu, showing at library. Night Market performance by RGHS PI Performance Group
June 4: Liliu, showing at library.
June 5: "Tupulaga" theatre performance (Fiona Collins/RGHS Pasifika Drama students). Liliu, showing at RGHS. Final Liliu showing at library.