Far out November already....

last few weeks been absolutely flat out with kapa haka(KH) and karate, kapa haka performed at the schools 50th Jubilee we were there from 8.30am until 3.30pm helped set up 600 seats the kitchen seats and tables the outdoor seats and tables then helped dish up the hangi for 500, then did UNTOLD DISHES!!!!!! whilst the group performed for 2 hours!!!! then helped pack it all away whilst the jubilee group went to photos and afternoon tea and mingling then of course the dinner which other entertainment was used. as people were seated they performed in time sets of 25 mins then break 5 - 10 mins then back into it as each different set of 100 came through, the Pacific Island groups performed later in day and then in the late afternoon the school orchestra too so entertainment was on offer all day. Long day but highly successful.

The KH group has been practicing for 3 days during week and 2 hrs on a Sunday or Saturday arvo as we just competed in a Hauraki meet held in Waihi, GOSH the performances JUST blew me away 1000's of people everywhere and singing galore. GOT up at 4.30am left 5.30am got home 9.30pm!!!!!!!!!! Yesterday Samuel and I DID NOT move off the couches! we were stuffed.

I have some pics BUT not the ones I want to put on never mind!Samuel is second from right!and the 3 girls are the senior members they are 16yr olds, SOME of the other schools MAN their boys/men were scary as!!!! and the girls/women JUST beautiful.The group has 15 girls and 12 boys BUT some of the boys didn't either A: have permission to go or B: had the I can't be bothered to go (touch rugby and sports takes precedence!).The boys wear black g strings and their backsides are decorated and black inked accordingly! (not a job for the fainthearted!).

ALSO the school kapa haka group GETS NO acknowledgement or merits for their performances and or work throughout the year!! HOW STUPID is that they the Te Reo classes ( the classes in their official capacity get merits etc) but they are EXPECTED to do ALL powhiri welcome ,wero and challenges and perform at schools discretion but give them acknowledgement and distinction ERRR NO, and it is a lot like this through out other schools THIS was touched on by ORGANISERS of the 2 most recent competitions we have been too of late, A SHAME really a BIG SHAME! but indicitive of current mood towards encouraging Maori to be Maori.(and I NOW remember what shied me away from my culture over 30 years ago, the backlash is still prevalent however it was so nice to see such enthusiastic performances and pride I even ran into a couple I haven't seen for 10 years!!!).

That being said Samuel is continuing to take Maori and Japanese next year BUT only after a SCHOOL head meeting 3 heads and the principal and me, I argued that Kapa Haka is performing arts and cultural (ie drama and music components), and Te Reo class is the language literature component, and japanese will be vital for his karate and where he wants to head later with his karate, travel etc he will pick up Spanish again next year in his spare time the school argued that the MOE has to know WHY this student (and others) aren't taking drama or music I said kapa haka is performance drama acting singing etc etc and is cultural heritage too, perserving waiata and legends etc his Te Reo teacher and Japanese teacher all supported his request very strongly so that helped too. They finally agreed and I know that there are not 1 but 3 other students are taking 2 languages 1 other girl does Maori/Japanese and another student does French/Japanese.

Samuel has just had an interview with Tpo District Council with the Asthma Funding programme for Asthmatics "Swim For Life" our co coordinator here in Tpo district secured $100K of funding for swim programmes( to roll out to all schools in our district) and the Asthma foundation put in a substantial amount of funding for children/students who had Asthma and needed SWIM LESSONS, we applied beginning of this year and Samuel couldn't swim 10m without huffing and blowing and or stopping, (has never had swim lessons) they and the coordinator is looking at presenting Maori/PI swim programmes to encourage more attendance and are using Samuels story as their Guinea Pig poster Boy, he had to do a write up and they Council and coordinator were blown away by his writing! THEY hope it will bring more people to apply for the funding which is under used!

They KH group are hard out this week and next, 4 day practices for another competition on Nov 13th the group has been asked to powhiri and perform at a CONTACT ENERGY launch at Mt Tauhara Dec 4th WHERE we will be bused to a location and the group has A WOW FACTOR performance for the Kaumatua and guests in the guise of an out style haka and true AMBUSH will be spine tingling stuff thats for real, they have to perform at Senior prizegiving Nov 10th and then another competition then Junior prizegiving, then final assembly!!!!! THEN that's it for the year! phew!!!!! Samuel is down to one night a week karate whilst this is all on and then when school finishes will go back to 2 nights a week karate I will get a 3 month swimming pool card for over summer so he can keep up his swimming and stay on track. BUT I am looking forward to no school as this last month is CRAZY!They the KH group might also be doing 3 day busking over xmas to fundraise for early year competiton in Rotorua. (thats a HUGE competition)

I do hope everyone is keeping busy and only 56 ish sleeps until xmas! eeeekkkkkkkkk

Ciao
Sharon