Hundreds of performers from schools throughout Eastern Southland entertained with dance, song and kapa haka at the Southern Field Days Waimumu site on Friday.
Māruawai College kapa haka members Maia Pokere, 15, and Jayden Broome, 17, said it was a special event to be part of.
Maia said it was an opportunity to show her "mana" on stage.
"It really shows how I am and what I can do in the world."
"It’s exciting to show the world and our locals how we perform.
"We’ve worked hard to get where we are."
Group members were like family.
Jayden said it was an opportunity for the group to display what they could do and perform on stage before Polyfest later in the year.
"For being in Southland in probably a wide Pakeha community I think it’s pretty good for us to have a chance to showcase our Māori side. "
Māruawai Matariki organising committee member David McKenzie said it was a great opportunity for young people to perform.
"It’s often the first time they’ve had a professional chance to hop on a stage like this and they rise to it."
It was hard to know how many people attended the event but he believed it was "thousands".
"It’s a great time to draw the whanau together around culture and music and waiata."
The event finished with a laser light show.
