Since the beginning of the year, Nevlynn Pahivi and her fellow students at Avondale College have been looking forward to this year's Auckland Polyfest.
Avondale College performing on the Niue stage. Photo: RNZ / Mabel Muller
They have been practising tirelessly in the hope of defending their Polyfest title but they have had to wait two years.
In 2019, the event was cancelled due to the Christchurch terror attacks and then in March last year, the Covid-19 outbreak forced organisers to pull the plug on the world's biggest Pacific dance festival.
The four-day annual competition this year attracted thousands of students, parents and friends to the Manukau Sports Bowl.
Despite the heavy rain on most days, organisers were happy with the turnout.
Highlights of Polyfest 2021
- Polyfest 2021 day four - in photos
- Live: Polyfest 2021 day four
- Polyfest 2021 day three: Tongan, Niue and Samoan stages
- Polyfest 2021 day two: 'It's all about language'
- Polyfest returns, safe from Covid-19: 'Get those kids back on that stage'
Event coordinator Seiuli Terri Leo-Mau'u said this year's festival was not about the numbers, but having the children back on stage performing.
Kia Aroha College 'Otuhaka on the Tongan stage Photo: RNZ / Mabel Muller
Students wowed the crowds with their performances and speech competitions on the different island stages: Māori, Samoa, Tonga, Niue, Cook Islands and the Diversity stage.
Seiuli said this year's theme of 'Healing the body, mind, spirit and soul with the strength of Culture' was appropriate as it showed the resilience of the students and their teachers, families and friends to come together and celebrate their language and culture with the songs and speeches.
"Right now, our community needed this and we deserved this. We deserved having our students back out there on stage and celebrating our young people.
"The reward has been seeing our young people and to see how happy they are to be finally on stage showcasing their culture.
"And that's what we've seen on stage throughout the four days: the resilience, the strength, the healing of the heart, that we're back. Polyfest is back and bigger things to come so bring on 2022."
Polyfest director Seiuli Terri Leo-Mau'u said this year's theme 'Healing the body, mind, spirit and soul with the strength of Culture' was appropriate. Photo: RNZ / Mabel Muller
For Nevlyn Pahivi, this was her first time at Polyfest as a performer.
The South Auckland youngster would like to see more young Pasifika taking part in the festival.
"It's been a privilege representing my aiga and island and I hope to see more Pacific students at next year's event."
A Cook Island mama enjoying a meal while watching performances on day 2 of Polyfest 2021. Photo: RNZ / Mabel Muller
The Year 9 student of Avondale College said she had always looked forward to coming to watch the dances and enjoy the food at Polyfest since she was little.
"It has been tough getting everything ready and under control with all the time since we only had after school to prepare and there were extra sports activities that we also had to prepare for.
"We just had to balance the time that we had for practices but I have enjoyed myself in my first year."
Would she be back next year? "Absolutely! I can't wait," Pahivi said. "And I want to return each year that I am in high school."
Avondale College's Tongan group gets ready for the big stage. Photo: RNZ / Mabel Muller
Teacher Sharon Cope agreed with her student saying it was a lot of work.
"The students do get tired and you have to rally them on to keep them motivated. But what's lovely to see is the senior students have been great in helping the younger ones out. They look after each other.
"It's been tough but it's all worth it to see these kids engage with their culture. They are proud, their families are and that makes me proud too.
"And I'm looking forward to returning next year to do it again. It would be cool."
Cope has spent three years working with the Niue group.
"It's a lot of work but so worth it, to see these kids engage with their culture and be so proud, it makes me proud."
Avondale College on the Samoan stage on Friday which was the first day of Polyfest. Photo: BC Photography / Peter Meecham
Miss Niue Aotearoa Liana Vaipa-Rice was at Polyfest supporting her old school, Avondale College.
"I'm very happy to be here. It's a very important event. It's a place we get to celebrate our culture unashamedly, where we can be completely ourselves and show who we are."
Seiuli Terri Leo-Mauu was happy to be back at the festival after a two-year hiatus.
She said the event took a big financial hit after it was cut short in 2019 due to the Christchurch terror attacks and was cancelled last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
"So these last two years it has been trying to find and secure the funding to continue the drive to make sure that this festival happened."
She said it was great to see so many tamariki enjoying the event with their whānau.
"I think right now our community needed this, and we deserved it. We deserve to be back out there enjoying our culture and our heritage and just celebrating our young people.
"Our reward has been seeing our young people and the happiness they have to finally take to the stage.
"I think it's also celebrating the resilience. Our theme is healing the body, mind, spirit and soul with the strength of culture and that's what you're seeing on the stage - the resilience, the strength, the healing of the heart that they're finding on stage and being able to celebrate everything they've been working hard for."
Samoan stage prizes:
All Boys School Exit
1st St Peter's College
2nd Sacred Heart College
3rd Dilworth School
All Girls School exit
1st Auckland Girls Grammar School
2nd Baradene College
3rd equal Epsom Girls Grammar School & Marist College
Co-Ed school Entrance
1st Manurewa High School
2nd Avondale College
3rd Marcellin College
Ulufale (Entrance - All Boys School)
1st - St Peter's College
2nd - Sacred Heart College
3rd - Dilworth School
Entrance
1st - Auckland Girls Grammar School
2nd - Baradene College
3rd place equal - Marist College and Epsom Girls College
Niue stage prizes:
Overall winners:
Takitaki Tane
1st - James Cook High School
2nd - Alfriston College
3rd - Onehunga High School
Co-ed schools
1st - James Cook High School
2nd - Alfriston College
3rd - Lynfield College
Overall winner
1st - Auckland Girls Grammar
2nd - James Cook High School
3rd - Alfriston College
Special awards:
Tauyeuteaga Tino Tuai
1st - Massey High School
Tauteuteaga
1st - James Cook High School
2nd - Auckland Girls Grammar
3rd - Alfriston College
Fakaalialiaga Katoa
1st - Auckland Girls Grammar
2nd - Alfriston College
3rd - Lynfield College
Takitaki Fifine
1st - Auckland Girls Grammar
2nd - James Cook High School
3rd - Alfriston College
Large groups:
Kamataaga
1st - Alfriston College
2nd - Massey High School
Lologo Tapu Tuai
1st - Alfriston College
Tame
1st - Alfriston College
2nd - Massey High School
Lologo/Koli Vaha Tuai
1st- Massey High School
Meke
1st - Alfriston College
2nd - Massey High School
Fakaotiaga
1st - Alfriston College
2nd - Massey High School
Small groups:
Lologo/Koli Vaka Tuai
1st - James Cook High School
2nd - Auckland Girls Grammar
3rd - Lynfield College
Meke
1st - Auckland Girls Grammar
2nd- Lynfield College
Takalo
1st - Onehunga High School
2nd - James Cook High School
3rd - Avondale High School
Fakaotiga
1st - Auckland Girls Grammar
2nd - James Cook High School
3rd - Lynfield College
Kamataaga
1st - Auckland Girls Grammar
2nd - James Cook High School
3rd - Onehunga High School
Lologo Tapu Tuai
1st - Avondale College
Tame
1st - Auckland Girls Grammar
2nd - James Cook High School
3rd - Lynfield College
Tongan stage prizes
Tau'olunga
1st - James Cook High School
2nd - Marcellin College
3rd - Selwyn College
Taufakaniua
1st - Dilworth School
2nd - Sacred Heart College
Sōkē
1st - Avondale College
2nd - Auckland Girls Grammar School
3rd - Manurewa High School
'Otuhaka
1st - Kia Aroha College
2nd - Baradene College
Ma'ulu'ulu
1st - Tamaki College
2nd - Auckland Girls Grammar School
3rd - Dilworth School
Mako
1st - Onehunga High School
2nd - Auckland Boys Grammar School
3rd - Mangere College
Lakalaka
1st - Avondale College
2nd - Marcellin College
3rd - Kia Aroha College
Kailao
1st - St Peter's College
2nd - Wesley College
Faha'iula
1st - Aorere College
2nd - Southern Cross Campus
Tonga speech results:
Yr 9
1st - Virginia Manukia (Marist College)
Yr 10
1st - Malia Fifita (Southern Cross Campus)
2nd - Lesieli Fotu (Manurewa High School)
Yr 11
1st - Anne Hufanga (Southern Cross Campus)
2nd - Matelita Taumoefolau (Avondale College)
Yr 12
1st - Tu'ulao Pulotu (Sacred Heart College)
2nd - Sione Havili (Onehunga High School)
3rd - Lesila Lotulelei (Manurewa High School)
Yr 13
1st - Lovely Alipate (Mangere College)