The stage set last week for the 10th anniversary performance of Jandal Jam, the Horowhenua-based Pasifika youth cultural showcase.
The stage set last week for the 10th anniversary performance of Jandal Jam, the Horowhenua-based Pasifika youth cultural showcase.
This year was supposed to be the 10th annual performance of the Horowhenua-based Pasifika youth cultural showcase Jandal Jam but, as with a lot of other events, the impact of Covid-19 and the country-wide lockdown in 2020 meant last year's production didn't go ahead.
Sue Hori Te Pa, co-ordinator of the showcase, said the concept was first developed in 2012 when she became aware many local families struggled to get to Palmerston North to support their children in the annual secondary schools Pacific festival.
"We wanted to provide an opportunity for both the families and the community to show appreciation to the students from our local colleges [who were representing their cultures] at Pasifika Fusion," said Hori Te Pa.
She wanted the focus of the local showcase to be on Horowhenua and Waiopehu college students working together as well as showing them how valued their talent is.
Angelina Toeleiu, pictured in Jandal Jam 2012 as a primary school student, was on stage again last week as part of Horowhenua College's Poly group and Fetu Pasifika.
"Pacific islanders are a minority group, and we wanted to encourage the students to think they are one [no matter what island they come from] and that it's important they support each other," she said.
In 2012, Hori Te Pa was involved with a local youth support services provider and, coming from a Samoan background, was part of the executive committee of Fale Pasifika.
When Hori Te Pa raised the idea of a local version of a cultural showcase for the Pasifika students at Waiopehu and Horowhenua colleges, the rest of the executive team were 100 per cent on board.
"In Pasifika culture everyone is encouraged to serve their community, so this was a big 'why' for all of us," said Hori Te Pa.
"We wanted to put these kids on stage to show [everyone] how amazing they are."
Taitoko School Poly Group performing at the 2014 Jandal Jam.
The first Jandal Jam was celebrated in August 2012, at the Levin Performing Arts Centre, showcasing each college's winning pieces from that year's Pasifika Fusion as well as the first joint performance by the two colleges.
The event has become a permanent fixture on the Horowhenua performing arts calendar and Hori Te Pa has seen some amazing talent emerge over the years.
"At times we've had over 100 kids participating ... as part of the college performance groups as well as in other talent/cultural items ... singing, bands, dancing ... showcasing the many performing arts [these students] are talented at," she said.
When plans for Jandal Jam were disrupted by Covid in 2020, Hori Te Pa had already received funding to help with the planned event, so the decision was made to divert the funds to a full-day Jandal Jam forum instead.
Prior to 2020, on the day of the Jandal Jam showcase all the students involved with the event would attend a morning of motivational speakers (such as Brother D, Billy Graham, The Laughing Samoans), followed by a "Pacific islands feed" at lunchtime, before a full dress rehearsal was held in the afternoon.
"The kids said to us, 'we can't do the show now, but can we still do the day programme'?" said Hori Te Pa.
R&B singer Swiss made a surprise appearance at Jandal Jam in 2013. Photo / Supplied
The first full-day Jandal Jam forum was held in the Horowhenua District Council chambers in September 2020, and involved over 100 students from Waiopehu and Horowhenua colleges.
As well as motivational speakers, the forum had a careers panel with Pasifika representatives from the fire service, police, nursing and a law student.
The students enjoyed the day so much they requested it become an annual event, so the second Jandal Jam forum will be held next month.
So that she can fully focus on the annual forum, Hori Te Pa is passing the mantle of co-ordinator of the main Jandal Jam showcase on to Angelina Mose Tuialii for the 2022 production.
Mose Tuialii is the organiser of the new youth cultural performance group, Fetu Pasifika, whose members will also be mentored to become tutors for the local primary schools to enable them to grow their Polynesian groups.
College principals Grant Congdon and Mark Robinson in a dance-off with then Horowhenua Mayor Brendan Duffy at Jandal Jam 2016.
Hori Te Pa said she has had many highlights over 10 ten years of co-ordinating Jandal Jam, and among the standouts was the college principals and Horowhenua mayor's dance-offs, which are always competitive and a highlight for the audience.
"In 2016, we got two students to teach them a short routine, which was a huge hit with the audience, awkward white guys giving it a go was great," she said.
Another standout happened in 2017 - Jandal Jam featured on Tagata Pasifika, TVNZ's Pacific news show, which put the students on national television.
But, according to Hori Te Pa, "It's the smiles on faces that does it for me, as long as the performers enjoy sharing their culture and talent, that's the [biggest] highlight."
