Kā Toi Māori o Aoraki (FLAVA) Festival

Kā Toi Māori o Aoraki (FLAVA) festival was held at the Theatre Royal on Friday 3 August for the sixth time. Twenty-eight schools and early childhood centres from the Aoraki region, between the Waitaki and the Rangitata rivers, took part in kapa haka, performing arts (waiata, whaikōrero, short stage drama, music, dance and other stage performances) and visual arts (two and three dimensional paintings, drawings, sculptures, and weaving).

The festival coincided with Te Wiki o te reo Māori and built upon this with this year’s theme being Arohatia te reo – cherish the language. The festival was organised by community and public health and coordinated by Well-Being And Vitality in Education (WAVE) with the support of teachers, Māori providers and community organisations.

FLAVA is growing in numbers each year. This year the Theatre Royal proved to be the perfect venue to provide the students with an opportunity to discover and experience a breath-taking lens into Te Ao Māori. They performed on an awe-inspiring stage to showcase and view their wonderful talent. Whānau, friends and the wider community were able to watch and enjoy a truly bi-cultural festival.

Once again the festival was a huge success. Participants and spectators packed the Theater Royal to capacity. The audience were treated to some incredibly colourful and exciting performances by groups that had clearly devoted long hours to perfecting their skills.

Congratulations to Arowhenua Māori School on their overall aggregated win and Mikaera Hotene for winning Kaea Teina (Male).

Kapa Haka Senior
Opihi College

Kapa Haka Junior
Arowhenua Māori School

Innovation
Timaru Girls High School

Kākahu (Costume)
Grantlea Downs/Timaru Girls High School

Kaea Tuakana (Male)
Poasa Seiuli – Timaru Boys High School

Kaea Tuakana (Female)
Te Awhina Reha – Timaru Girls High School

Kaea Teina (Male)
Mikaera Hotene – Arowhenua Māori School

Kaea Teina (Female)
Metiria Naera

Performing Arts Senior
Timaru Boys High School

Performing Arts Junior
St Patrick’s Waimate

Visual Arts Senior (School)
Geraldine High School

Visual Arts Senior (Individual)
Rhiannon Brodie – Geraldine High School

Visual Arts Junior (School)
St Patrick’s Waimate

Visual Arts Junior (Individual)
Taylah Marshall – Sacred Heart Primary School.