The giant community event gives Otepoti’s Māori and Pasifika communities the chance to shine — getting up on stage at the Edgar Centre to sing, perform and celebrate in te reo Māori.
At the launch of Otago Polyfest on Monday evening, Otakou kaumatua Edward Ellison welcomed a large crowd of supporters and had encouraging words for the tamariki and rangatahi who would be performing across the week.
‘‘This year, we will welcome more than 4500 performers to the stage [and will] celebrate their uniqueness, joy and beauty.’’
Guest speaker, former minister for Pacific peoples and retired MP Aupito William Sio, expressed his delight at the growing popularity of Otago Polyfest and Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori.
‘‘It is a privilege to be here to celebrate 30 years of the festival, which began with a vision for our young people to be able to experience the language and culture, and is a part of their identity.’’
New Zealand was firmly enclosed in the Pacific, and the ‘‘brown population’’ was the youngest and fastest growing population in the country, he said.
‘‘Those young people should be confident about their heritage.’’
Following the formal mihi whakatau/opening of the festival — which included a waiata performed by the King’s and Queen’s kapa haka group He Waka Kotuia and a performance of drumming, dance and waiata by Le Apatonga Performing Arts group — the large crowd clapped and cheered as the first groups of school children took the stage.
The schools included Brockville Full Primary School, George Street Normal School, Karitane School, Musselburgh School, St Peter Chanel School, Fairfield School, Trinity Catholic College and He Waka Kotuia.
Otago Polyfest continues until tomorrow at the Edgar Centre, where dozens of schools and groups from across Otago are taking part in a huge programme of performances.
The event concludes with the Te Moananui a Kiwa community concert tomorrow evening.
A Dunedin City Council spokesperson said supporting Polyfest was the best way to ‘‘show our support and commitment to te reo Māori’’.
‘‘Many of our staff are also proud parents and grandparents with whanau taking part, and will be there to support their loved ones and the festival. DCC staff will also be attending as volunteers and we will have a stall at the Polyfest Village.’’
Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori continues across Aotearoa until Sunday, and has the theme of Kia Kaha Te Reo Māori — making the language stronger.
The campaign is part of the ongoing push towards achieving the goal of onemillion speakers of te reo Māori by 2040.
