Young folk join forces for festival

Out of the adversity and disruption of the Covid-19 lockdown, a vibrant new mini cultural festival emerged in Brockville yesterday.

Brockville School principal Tania McDonald said about 400 people attended a 10am Mini Polyfest event at the school hall.

Maori, Pasifika, European and former refugee children and their families took part. The festival featured many cultural activities, including dancing, waiata and action songs.

The traditional annual Otago Polyfest event — which usually attracts up to 7000 performers from throughout Otago — was cancelled this year because of pandemic safety requirements.

The school, the Brockville Kindergarten and the suburb’s Maori language preschool group, Kohanga Reo o Whakaari, joined forces to run their own mini event.

"It’s a very good event.

"It brings our community together," Mrs McDonald said.

The new event was likely to become an annual fixture, perhaps being held before the main region-wide event.

About 180 children and 120 parents and teachers had attended yesterday, including about 50 young former refugees and parents, she said.

Kindergarten head teacher Julie Baird said the kindergarten had earlier been saddened when the bigger event was cancelled.

After thinking about its older mokopuna (young children) and the leadership opportunities Polyfest provided for them, the kindergarten had emailed other Brockville educational groups suggesting the new event.

"Today we celebrate the mahi [work] of the mokopuna and we look forward to many more Brockville Mini Polyfests," she said.