South West Kāhui Ako Cultural Festival 2024
by Chrystie Coburn-Woods, Assistant Head of Science, Villa Maria College
The Southwest Kāhui Ako Cultural Festival was a vibrant celebration of cultural diversity, featuring performances from seven Catholic schools in our community. The event began with a remarkable opening by Our Lady of the Assumption (OLA) Hoon Hay, who performed Whai Hua Tātou, E Tu Kahikatea, and Toia Mai/Tahu Potiki.
St Teresa's School Riccarton, followed with a high energy Samoan dancewhich energised the audience. Villa Maria College then took the stage with a dance titled "Hopelessly Devoted", which explored the themes of love and loss through varied choreography. Our Hip-hop trio also captivated the crowd with a performance that had everyone clapping along to the beat.
St Bernadette's School Hornby, impressed the audience with their cultural attire as they performed the Sasa and showcased their Kapa Haka and Filipino groups. St Peter's Beckenham, looked amazing in their cultural attire and performed three beautiful waiata: Tai Aroha, Ka Waiata and Hauika. Our Lady of Victories (OLV) Sockburn, then graced the stage in their impressive cultural dress, delivering fabulous performances of Te Iwi e, E Te Pono and the Haka — Hawaikinui. The festival concluded with a lovely Samoan hymn and an impressive school haka by St Thomas of Canterbury College. The event closed with a heartfelt prayer, followed by a waiata sung by the entire southwest hub.
This was the second time that the seven Southwest Catholic schools have gathered for a cultural festival, with the St Thomas stage providing a spectacular setting
for each performance. We cherish these opportunities to come together as one and celebrate our diverse cultures.
