It has been two years since Tamaki College has performed at the competition and the concern around whether if it would actually go ahead and if we would make it to the stage was something that I was worried about. I met with the the other cultural group teachers and we had a long talk about the pros and cons of doing the festival. After a lengthy discussion and reflection, going back and forth, we decided to go ahead and enter the competition. Why? That is a good question. This question was challenging for me because I felt like I was choosing not to do it out of fear (not knowing if it would be cancelled again). However I was reminded by my colleague that reasons, the WHY behind why we do this is for the students and for the culture. This changed my mindset for the new season and campaign. For the students - this is and always will be a student centered event. The students are drawn to anything related to competition, identity and culture. For the culture - language and culture is a life experience, it something that should be celebrated all the time. It helps to enrich life experience. With this in mind, my journey with the Samoan Group 2021 started and for 4-5 weeks we rehearsed and prepared for the ASB Polyfest competition.
Throughout the 5 weeks of rehearsals I learnt a lot about myself and my culture. Typically what drives me every season is the pursuit for excellence on stage and the desire to maintain the standard that we have as performing group on the Samoan stage. I was brought up in a world where performance and competition was my sport. From training in choir to leading cultural groups in school, over the years I was conditioned in how I saw performing arts. The competition aspect of the festival was and is a driver in how I lead the team year in year out. Any type of competition requires a level of commitment, drive, motivation, focus and passion from the participants and this is the part of the process that I enjoy, working towards a goal. This year is the first year that I have really honed in on the cultural value of Samoa, of being Pasefika - as the catalyst for excellence. This has never been a priority to me however I understand now that competition is not the only way to excel. The 'culture' of the team you are working with - the way they are, the way they work, the way and values that inspire them, the why - is an integral part of the journey.
CULTURE: A way of life
Know who you are (Alicia Keys)
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| Debrief session: Samoan Group 2021 + tutors |
We are living in a world now that craves authenticity. Anything or anyone on a platform, who is not honest and is exposed can find themselves in a situation where they are scrutinized or so aptly put in (in the world of twitter) #cancelled. Being authentic is effective if you know who you are, what you are doing, why you are doing it and what you stand for. The Samoan Group journey was one where on a daily basis in rehearsals we would spend time talking about our 'why' (why are we doing this?). 'what' (what do we stand for? What are the values and traditions in the Samoan culture?) and 'how' (how can we become this as a group?) This part of the season was and is a highlight and one that I will take with me. Our understanding of the Samoan culture and the Fa'asamoa was strengthened because we understand what our culture is as a group. What our values are as a team. Knowing who you are helps to ground you and gives you an anchor whereby you can experience anything life brings you and still know who you are and everything great that comes along with it. Creating this type of culture whilst preparing for a competition is key as it is easy to create of culture of 'to win'. There is nothing wrong with this aspiration however if it becomes the focus then I believe that there is no room to fail - we do not like failing but we do fail, how we learn from failure is where growth happens. Building a culture around identity and purpose centers itself on growth and change. By the time the students finished their performance and sat through prizegiving, all they were focused on was putting on a great performance and having a good time with their team. We are grateful for the placings that we were awarded with this year.
3rd = Togiga
2nd = Taualuga
3rd Place Taupou (May Sinafea)
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| Samoan Group Leaders 2021 after prizegiving |
What I am so proud of is the way we conduct ourselves and what we are focused on as a group. The culture and the priority of the group influenced how we experienced the competition. Is more about the value of togetherness, respect and service. This is something that I will treasure and I hope to continue this culture with the next group.
SUCCESSION: A number of people or things of a similar kind following one after the other.
God's plan, God's plan. I can't do this on my own (Drake)
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| Samoan Group 2021 with members from 2010 - 2019 during our Live-In talanoa session. |
The common phrase "it takes a village to raise a child" is what I think of when I think of the team that I work alongside during Polyfest. In particular the tutorship team. This team is made up of former students and performers of the Tamaki College Samoan Group. They come in year in year out to give back and tutor the team. The whole idea on building the tutorship team is so that it can continue on it's own. Longevity. Our focus this year is to grow the team by using the students to choreograph items for Samoan Language Week. Succession planning is about forward thinking, it is about reviewing what works well and what doesn't and what opportunities you have to make improvements. It is also about seeing what adds value and finding ways to make this happen. Adding to the team by using the talents already there is the next step of the process. The tutorship team is a group of people who are from the school and who understand what it takes to perform. They also understand what the strengths are from the school. So who better to add to the team then our very own.
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| Tutorship team (former students from our 2010, 2015 and 2016 Samoan Group era) |
FOR THE CULTURE
For the Culture means doing something because of an additional perceived value of doing that thing. (Urban dictionary)
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| Samoan Group 2021 at the ASB Polyfest 2021 |
Teachers are constantly questioned and encouraged to think about their 'why'. We constantly question and challenge our students to think about their 'why'. Our 'why' is linked to our purpose and our purpose is linked to our heart's intent. For the students, their reasons for joining the team varied but all connected somehow back to culture - learning about their own culture, for some learning about a new culture, reconnecting to their culture. There is a need for culture - a connection, a sense of self, a sense of belonging, a sense of identity - that our young people are hungry for. Whether it is through dance or by being part of something, there is real attraction for young people to be part of a collective. A collective that is purpose driven and that is grounded in a culture that is rich in collectivism, respect and reciprocity. When our young people perform at Polyfest, it is more than just a performance - for them, for us involved, for the parents who support - it is for the culture. We live in a society that is multicultural, multi denominational, layered and at times fractured. Events like Polyfest - a huge undertaking - if used well, can be a platform to really nurture culture in a positive and healthy way. I am honest in that the process is time consuming and emotional - but the return is always 100. The growth in the student's confidence and pursuit to excel and do well in a competitive environment is a huge pull for our young people. They are drawn to it. They are drawn culture. How we as teachers can use this as leverage at school and create opportunities for more growth and success is completely up to us. We know that this is a draw card for our young people, what we do with it and how we see the value in it is the next step.
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| Samoan Group 2021 post performance |
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