There is an open invitation for the community to come and watch. Monday 23rd September 12:25pm, in the school gym.

We are excited to be able to reinstate a school haka and waiata competition for 2024. This is an important school event for many reasons.

• Bringing back and cementing this house competition

• This supports our commitment to being an inclusive school, supporting our diversity of our students and their cultures

• A way of developing confidence, trying new things and opening peoples' mind to new experiences

• Building house spirit

• Developing knowledge of kapa haka

• Important knowledge and skills to support school events

This year is going to be really significant as we honour and respect the contribution that former student Charley Wahanui made to Te Ao and Tikanga Māori at Te Aroha College. The winners of this year's competition will be the first recipients of the Charley Wahanui taonga for the House Kapa Haka competition.

Students have been practising in their house each Monday during Term Three. It has been really nice to see students gaining in confidence, overcoming some their fears and seeing a number of our students step into leadership roles.

So please, if you have some time on Monday, we would love for you come and see our students in action.

I have attached a copy of the words for the waiata and haka with their english translation so that you get a sense of what the students are presenting.