On 26th July 2024, our St Mary's TuTagata Poly Club stormed the TSB Arena stage to showcase the diversity of our school. With 126 students on stage, our Poly Club performed a bracket that consisted of songs and choreographs from Fiji, Cook Islands, Tonga, Samoa, Tuvalu, and Tokelau. 

A lot of energy, effort, patience, tears and time were dedicated to the preparation of the performance. We wish to acknowledge the leaders who put in endless hours to produce an amazing and brilliant bracket. Thank you Summer Aiono, Cruz King-Tararo, Mary Fidow, Litia Tu'iketei, Nahliah Tagatauli-Tolova'a and Shayla Teinatoa-Ramsay for your commitment and devotion to this club. It is very well noted and highly appreciated. We would like to acknowledge the St Mary’s staff for their support. We also wish to acknowledge the commitment and enthusiasm of the club members that enabled us to showcase the bracket. We wish you the very best for the remainder of the year and let's bring on 2025!!

We are very grateful for the support of our parents and the Asosi during this time. They helped us raise funds to buy our new uniform. And on the day, they ironed our uniform and made sure we all looked 100%. They provided food for us and created a warm and relaxing space before our performance that night. 

Then on the night…

“Before the performance, the backstage area buzzed with a mix of excitement and nerves. We could hear the distant hum of the audience's applause and laughter as we silently rehearsed our steps and actions, mentally preparing for the performance we’d been working heart and soul for, in the past months. As I danced on stage, the world seemed to narrow to the rhythm of the drums and the flow of our voices. Each movement felt exhilarating, yet grounding, like I was weaving together threads of tradition and passion. You could say that in those moments, I felt the presence of my ancestors and loved ones with me. 

The audience's reactions were electric, their cheers and applause vibrating as we danced and sang our hearts out. It continued off as we stepped off the stage, riding off the high of the night, which reminded me of why I chose to do Tu tangata again this year. The connection to my heritage, the nurturing of relationships as Pasifika people, and the energy and adrenaline were all factors in making me want to come back this year.

This experience truly was fulfilling, the communal joy of sharing culture and relating experiences proved to help us all build stronger friendships with each other as sisters. Being able to express the pride for our culture will drive us, especially me, to seek the stage again next year.”

- Potesio Vea, Year 11, Poly Club member.