Orewa College and Whangaparāoa College present their combined Tongan Polyfest performance at a community fiafia evening following learning with Hibiscus Tuākana.

Fiafia Evening Brings Community Together Through Tongan Performance

A fiafia evening brought Orewa College and Whangaparāoa College together to present their combined Tongan Polyfest performance to whānau and the wider community.

The event created a space for the performance to be shared before the rōpū hit the Polyfest stage, with ākonga presenting what they had learned through their work alongside Hibiscus Tuākana. Language and movement sat at the centre of the evening, shaped by a rōpū made up of both Tongan and non-Tongan students who committed to the learning process together.

Set within the spirit of the fiafia, the presentation reflected the relationships built across both kura and the collective effort behind the group’s Polyfest journey.

A haka tautoko from Whangaparāoa College kapa haka supported the combined rōpū, adding a passionate expression of support.

The fiafia was another step in bringing both schools together in this way, with the performance grounded as much in shared experience as it was in preparation for the Polyfest stage.

Photo Credit: Jo Hayward