Tēnā koutou,

Tuatahi ake rā e mihi ana ki rau ringa i hāpai, i whakanui i te kaupapa i tērā wiki ōtira i ngā marama tata kua pahure.

Well what a busy few months that was.  After hundreds of hours of behind the scenes work, practices, cooking, cleaning, sewing, weaving etc our students from our four kura that make up Te Piringa had a stellar performance.  They were the best dressed and presented at the pōhiri attended by Taranaki, Wellington and Manawatū-Horowhenua and displayed what Māori student success looks like.  Our kids were up at 4am to ready themselves for the 10.45 performance.  I have attached a few photos so you can see what it looks like behind the scenes.

We arrived well in time with a prep talk by Mahinarangi all the way from the marae to the venue and managed to arrive before our other local school, our competition for the day which propped our kids up just that little bit more and readied them to give their all on the stage.

From the choral, to the whakaeke where they bought one of their old performers and koro who had passed recently onto the stage with them performing a local Whanganui ngeri(chant) that had all the kaumātua standing, tears falling and bringing their audience into their performance with them.  A stunning, awe inspiring, bone chilling performance that needs to be seen by all who teach these amazing kids.

Following this performance we then travelled to Tawhero School to perform to their kura to return their kindness of offering their whole kura as a base to practice or stay, for carting more mattresses to the marae for us to use and for providing our lunches.  E kore e oti ngā mihi ki a koutou te kura o Tawhero.

Te Piringa will be broadcast tomorrow at around 1pm on Māori + App (on your phone) or Māori TV (Ch19 Sky TV of CH5 Freeview)

Students involved from Freyberg were

Teina Maruera

Maro Preston

Lelani Samuela

Liani Tamarapa

Manu Rota

Kanye Teka

Hawi Pere

Rosieane Winiata-Demicoli

Raiha Moses

Harmony Kauri

Sharlyse Te Whata-Haddon

Lettitia Winiata-Demicoli