Puppets a powerful teaching tool (+ video)

Rotorua Intermediate pupil Bradley Hewson, 11, enjoy the puppet show. Photo / Ben Fraser

Rotorua students got a taste of China as they were treated to performances from two internationally renowned groups.

Wushu (kung fu) performers from the Shanghai Shangwen Martial Arts Academy, and puppeteers from the Guangdong Puppet Art Theatre performed for students at John Paul College and Rotorua Intermediate yesterday.

Hosted by the Asia New Zealand Foundation, this was the first time the organisation had taken international performers into Rotorua schools.

The performers also spent time teaching the students some basic moves and answering questions from the crowd.

Rotorua Intermediate School principal Garry de Thierry said it was a great opportunity for the students.

"It is tremendous to be able to expose our students to this kind of authentic cultural experience.

"In recent years we've seen a huge increase in the number of students taking Chinese so this opportunity is like the icing on the cake in terms of their cultural understanding."

Mr de Thierry said performances such as this "help to develop a student's cultural awareness without having to travel to the country itself".

"Without actually going to China, this is the best way to get students involved in cultural experiences."

Year 7 student Angelique Powell, 11, was amazed by the puppeteers.

"I really liked the puppets. They were so detailed and the way the performers moved them, it looked like they were real."

She said the performance was not only fun to watch but taught her things about China she didn't know. "I take Chinese in class so it's awesome to be able to learn new things about the traditional Chinese culture."

Pupils from Otonga Primary School also saw the performances.