Polyfest

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Indian dancers
Korean dancers
Chinese lion dance

The Polyfest is a festival that takes place every year in Auckland , New Zealand . It was founded in Otara in 1976 and is now one of the largest Polynesian festivals ever. But it's not just a festival, it's a competition for students who are Maori or Polynesians. The students, who are from ninth to thirteenth grade, meet in March and perform their own traditional dances and chants, and wear traditional costumes for traditional rituals.

At the festival, the five main cultures of the islands are each presented on a separate stage. The cultures come from Niue , Samoa , Tonga , the Cook Islands and of course the Maoris are part of them. All groups have twenty-five minutes to win over the judges. On the last day, the winners of each category will be chosen. In addition to Maori and Polynesian students, students from the Middle East , China , Japan , Korea and India also perform . However, these do not take part in the competition.

Every year there is a separate moto for which the students present their demonstrations. The theme in 2008 was "With Aspiration, Belief and Commitment, We Can Achieve Our Dreams".

Several Polynesian events take place in Auckland, the largest agglomeration in the region, including the Polyfest and the Pasifika. By 2021, it is estimated that New Zealand's Polynesian population will increase by 59%. This is mainly because of the much better prospects for work and education in the city than on the smaller islands. The Maoris who are native to Auckland also have close ties with the Pacific, where they come from. Polynesian culture has played a huge role in the development of New Zealand's society and culture.

The Polynesian festival is significant to the Pacific community of New Zealand. The Polyfest is a very popular festival and each year approximately 100,000 people of all ages attend the event to watch the children's performances, taste various traditional meals and drinks, and celebrate the cultural diversity of Auckland. The festival promotes understanding of other cultures and gives students the opportunity to explore their culture.

Previous topics

  • 2008 With aspiration, belief and commitment we can achieve our dreams
  • 2007 Color my world
  • 2006 diversity
  • 2005 Harmony grows through unity

The cultures

Maori: (Tangata Te Whenua - The People of the Land)

The Maori perform six different traditional dances and songs. The acoustic guitar is used as an instrument.

  1. Whakaeke - the beginning.
    The beginning of the performance should grab the audience's attention.
  2. Moteatea - the traditional narration of the past.
    The union of traditional chant and the emphasis on the pukana face.
  3. Poi - an instrumental dance.
  4. Haka - the male war dance
    The war dance represents the politics, opinion and strength of men.
  5. Waiata a Ringa - The "Action Song" dance.
    The union of traditional Maori melodies and the actions of the songs
  6. Whakawatea - the conclusion.
    The conclusion should have a lasting effect on the audience.

The traditional Maori costume is the Flax costume skirt (Piupiu) and the Maori tattoo (Moko). The traditional hangi is offered for sale as food, along with dresses with special Maori patterns.

Samoa

The Samoans perform six different traditional dances and songs. The Pacific drum is used as an instrument. The peculiarity of the dances from Samoe is the beating movement with the hands.

  1. Ulufale - the entry.
    The entrance is intended to attract the attention of the audience. The first dance is therefore loud and fast.
  2. Taualuga - the prestigious dance.
    The emphasis on the leader of the group. The leader dances with a delicate knife.
  3. Sasa - the punch dance.
    The depiction of daily life through the beating movement of the body
  4. Maulu-Ulu - The dance only for women
    A graceful dance that describes a story
  5. Fuataimi - the conductor of the song.
    The conductor needs to be confident so that the audience can see that the whole group is confident too.
  6. Fa 'ataupati - the war dance.
    He represents war with the bodies moving quickly, so the men have to be energetic.

Niue

The Niuen also perform six different traditional dances and songs. The Pacific drum is used as an instrument. The peculiarity of the Niue dances is the rapid movement of the knees, or the "hopo".

  1. Kamataaga - the entry.
  2. Takalo - the war dance.
  3. Lologo Tuai - ancient traditional chants and hymen.
  4. Tame - the song of movement.
    This number is similar to the other movement dances, here the singing is particularly loud
  5. Meke - similar to the Samoan "Sasa".
    The depiction of daily life through the beating movement of the body
  6. Folu Foou .
    Mixed modern and traditional songs and dances.

Tonga

The evaluation of the Tongan stage is different from that of the other cultures because it is evaluated by the different categories of dancers. There is a first, second and third place for each type of dance. The dancers are known for their colorful costumes and dancing with batons. The performers wear bird feathers in their hair.

  1. Kailoa - the war dance.
    The fight against the enemy
  2. Lakalaka - the big group dance.
    Up to 1000 people dance at the same time, sometimes more than there is space on the stage.
  3. Ma'ulu'ulu - the group dance.
    A dance borrowed from Samoa. The groups sit, sing and use the movement of their hands.
  4. Tau 'olunga - Prestige
  5. Soke - the "teckentanz.
    The use of sticking in a group.
  6. Tau Faka-Niua - the military dance.
    It is the military drill from visiting the ships in Tonga in 1970
  7. Mako - the dance for men.
    A dance with lively movements

Cook Islands

The Cook Islands perform five different traditional dances and songs. The Pacific drum is used as an instrument. The peculiarity of the dances are the beat and rhythm of the drum and the movement of the girls' hips.

  1. Kapa Rima - the movement dance.
    The emphasis is on the movements of the hands and the wiggling of the hips
  2. Ute - the singing
    A description of a story through the movement of the hands
  3. Peu Tupuna - the story of the legend.
    The telling of the legend through dramatic actions
  4. Imene Tuki - the story of the Bible.
    A description of the story through the movement of the hands
  5. Ura Pa'u - the drum dance.
    A dance with a fast pace and movement

Diversity of cultures

Indians, Chinese, Sri Lankans, Koreans, Japanese and Filipinos also have the opportunity to take part in Polyfest. The performances range from Chinese lion dance to Korean fan dance and Indian dance. The members of the various groups do not always come from the culture of the islands of Tonga, Samoa, Niue, Cook Islands or Maori. In 2007, among the members of the Epsom Girls Grammar High School group , there was one Filipina and three Europeans in the Kapa Haka group. The richness of the cultures makes the Polyfest unique and the festival offers the Pacific culture an opportunity to demonstrate and live out its identity.

Similar festivals

Pasifika

Dance at the Pasifika

The Pasifika Festival takes place every March and is the largest Polynesian festival in the southern hemisphere. It is celebrated in Western Springs , Auckland every year and attended by over 200,000 people.

In 2008 there were ten villages that took part in the Pasifika, each village represented a culture. There were also two large stages to watch performances and there was a stage for each village.

The difference between this festival and Polyfest is that Pasifika is not a competition, but something for the community. The performers are not just students; there are participants of all ages. You can also find a lot more cultures at Pasifika than at the Polyfest, so there are a lot more people who are interested in Pasfika. Also, it only lasts a day and many New Zealand musicians have the opportunity to show off their talents.

Auckland Museum Pasifika

In March, the Auckland Museum also hosts a celebration of Polynesian culture. It lasts three days: the first day there is an exhibition on Polynesian cuisine. On the second day there is a free screening of a Polynesian film and on the last day there is always something for the kids.

Pasifika Playwright's International Series

Polynesian playwrights celebrate this festival and viewers can watch various plays.

Summer Sounds in the Park

This concert lasts over three weeks. Performers perform traditional and modern Polynesian music. They also sing pop music, rock and reggae.

Web links

literature

  • Vasantha Krishnan, Penelope Schoeffel Meleisea, Julie Warren: The Challenge of Change. Pacific Island Communities in New Zealand, 1986-1993. NZ Institute for Social Research and Development Ltd, Wellington 1994, ISBN 0-477-01693-6 .