Bloody passion captures spirit

By RENEE KIRIONA

The blood oozing on Kahn Le Prevost-Shepherd's chest epitomised the spirit of kapa haka at the world's largest Maori and Pacific Island cultural festival yesterday.

The Avondale College student had not even been doing the haka for a minute when the signs of a passionate warrior started to show.

His nails gouging across his chest, Le Prevost-Shepherd exhorted himself to higher and higher levels of intensity as he performed the traditional Maori war dance.

The high school's kapa haka group broke the ice on the Maori stage at the ASB festival, which began at the Manukau Super Bowl yesterday.

And although the audience of about 2000 could almost feel the Ngapuhi 17-year-old's pain, he admitted to the Herald he couldn't feel a thing - on stage, anyway.

"When you're out there doing it you can't feel anything, you're just too psyched up."

But stage presence of that fierce yet elegant group, whose rendition of Ka Mate Ka Mate would put the All Blacks to shame, was in stark contrast to the scene only minutes earlier when they were focused on breathing technique and quietly practising their wiri and pukana (hand and eye movements).

Like the other 10 groups that performed yesterday and the 30 yet to come, Avondale's performance was a result of a lot of "heart and soul" and hard yards, said kapa haka tutor Brenda Rawiri.

"Our practices were really full-on. Hundreds of hours have gone into this."

For the past two months the students had given almost 30 hours of their own time each week, Ms Rawiri said.

And for those who think kapa haka is simply getting up on stage to look pretty, she asked that they think again.

"It has all been well worth it because through kapa haka these kids have managed to learn about the history of their area [Avondale]."

Meanwhile, just around the corner, Indian students got their crowd of about a thousand going with a mix of old and new, traditional and contemporary. Even New Zealand-based Bollywood talent scout Dharmesh Parikh was impressed.

"We've spotted six girls and two boys that we'll be approaching. One girl from one of the Mt Roskill School groups was a fire cracker. She blew everyone away."

Mr Parikh organises the Miss Indianz beauty pageant as well as working with India's huge movie industry.

A growing number of Chinese, Middle Eastern, Korean and Sri Lankan students also pleased the crowd as they brought a glimpse of their cultures to the fore.

More people are expected at the festival today when Cook Island, Niuean, Samoan and Tongan performers take to the stage.

Last year about 85,000 people turned out to the annual three-day event and this year organisers expect even more.

Herald Feature: Polyfest

Official site: Auckland Secondary Schools Maori & Pacific Islands Festival (Polyfest)

* Thursday March 16 to Saturday March 20
(powhiri starts at 8.30am)
Manukau Sports Bowl