Last December, a group of children from Castlecliff School saw a local primary school kapa haka competition on stage at the Royal Wanganui Opera House.
They had a great time.
The next day at school, principal Kath Martin asked everyone what they really thought and had they enjoyed it.
And her students told her in no uncertain terms ... they reckoned they could do better, she said.
"We can win that ... we can learn and we can win next year," they told her.
Ms Martin took them at their word and a few weeks ago kapa haka lessons began in earnest.
First, the whole school learned their waiata.
"Their singing is wonderful ... all these children have such beautiful strong singing voices," she said.
This week, all the boys ... from 5-year-olds to 10-year-olds had their first lesson from proclaimed haka master Ashley Patea.
It was as though they had been waiting all their lives to learn haka ... there was absolute quiet the minute Mr Patea raised and his hand and began the lesson.
"Aren't they wonderful ... they'll do it well, I knew they would," Ms Martin said.
Don't miss Monday's paper for a feature look at Castlecliff School.
Castlecliff School children put haka right into curriculum
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