Cultural Performances

Saturday 11 April at 8.35am

Kapa haka is a treasured art at Ngā Mokopuna, a total immersion Māori-language school in Wellington. To the ākonga (students) of Ngā Mokopuna, kapa haka is a vital expression of their identity and a part of everyday life in Te Ao Māori (the Māori world).

Sunday 12 April at 8.35am

Aotea College is home to a thriving group of Kuki Airani (Cook Islands) performers. The passionate students have been dancing and drumming since a young age, their talent nurtured by a proud community fiercely committed to keeping the vibrant cultural traditions of the Cook Islands alive.

Monday 13 April at 8.25am

Established in 2016, Tautua Dance Academy connects and encourages Pacific youth in Wellington with their cultural heritage through performing arts. The academy has quickly grown in size and reputation for its excellent traditional Siva Samoa (Samoan dance) and Siva Afi (fire knife dancing) programs.

Monday 13 April at 2.00pm

Pātea Māori Club is an iconic New Zealand cultural performance group formed in 1967 in the South Taranaki town of Pātea. Originally established as the Pātea Methodist Māori Club, the group is celebrated for sharing Māori culture through music, dance, and storytelling.

They rose to national and international fame in 1984 with the release of “Poi E”, a Māori-language pop song produced by Dalvanius Prime with lyrics by renowned Māori language advocate Ngoi Pēwhairangi. The song topped the New Zealand charts and became a cultural phenomenon.

Today, Pātea Māori Club continues to celebrate te reo Māori and the richness of Māori culture through vibrant performances. Click here for Poi E.