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Tamaki College Samoan Group 2024 |
This year marks my 14th year working with the Samoan Group for Tamaki College. I am extremely grateful for this year and journey that I had with the students, tutorship family, staff and our parents in our journey to Polyfest.
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Tamaki College Samoan Group/Tutorship Team + Band 2024 |
Our tutorship team this year is made up of family and former students who have been working with our Samoan Group collectively for 12 years. I would like to acknowledge our tutorship team and thank them for their contribution, their love and their gifts that they have shared and blessed us with for Samoan Group this year.
Mr Pene Ueta - who composed and taught the Pese o le Aso, Fuataimi\, Sasa and our Ulufafo. He is our lead tutor.
Ms Millie Mara-Oti - who taught the choreography for Ulufale and our Ulufafo
Ms Alofa Vaifale - who taught the choreography for Mauluulu
Mr Roni Wright Kamu - who taught our ,choreography for Ulufale and Mauluulu
Ms Lani Filemoni - who taught the choreography for Mauluulu
Mr Malulu Faaui - who taught the choreography for Mauluulu
We are blessed to have our musicians - our band - who come in every year and bring the music to life. I would like to thank and acknowledge our awesome band for their contribution, love and gifts that they have shared and blessed us with for Samoan Group this year.
We have our tutorship team and band come and work with our young people. They are talented creatives in their own right who across performing arts, music, dance and drama - have all contributed to not only our school community but also the wider community in Auckland. Thank you all for what you have blessed the young people with in Samoan Group 2024. Our tutorship team have been working together for over 10 years, with 6 of our core tutors being former students from the Samoan Group and alumni from Tamaki College. We are humbled by their service to their old school.
Mr Kevin Savili - Drums
Mr Simon Savili - Guitar
Mr Phillip Fepuleai - Guitar
Mr Norman Fogavai - Drums
We have our tutorship team and band come and work with our young people. They are talented creatives in their own right who across performing arts, music, dance and drama - have all contributed to not only our school community but also the wider community in Auckland. Thank you all for what you have blessed the young people with in Samoan Group 2024. Our tutorship team have been working together for over 10 years, with 6 of our core tutors being former students from the Samoan Group and alumni from Tamaki College. We are humbled by their service to their old school.
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Tamaki College Samoan Group Tutorship Team 2024 |
I would like to acknowledge the Samoan Group staff for their love, time and support for our campaign this year. I would like to thank and acknowledge:
Thank you for your commitment and your time in making sure that tonight was a success for our young people.
I would like to thank our parent helpers for having journeyed with us throughout the last 6 weeks. Thank you to Mr and Mrs Tukuafu for your love, time, food and support that you have shown and given to us. Thank you to Mrs Tangi Tawa for your love, support and for helping us organize our t-shirts for Saturday. Thank you Ms Ana Fa'amausili and Mrs Marry Tukuafu for making the kiki for our boy’s uniform. Thank you to all of our parents and families who contributed to our fundraising and who have been so supportive and patient with us. Thank you for entrusting us with your children.
Finally I would like to acknowledge our young people, the 54 strong team that will be representing Tamaki College on the Samoan Stage at Polyfest. Thank you to our students for your commitment, your service, your willingness and openness to learn more about your Samoan language, culture and values. I want to thank and acknowledge our young Tongan, Burmese, Cook Island and Maori students who joined Samoan Group this year and have shown so much love and respect in learning Gagana Samoa and Siva Samoa. You should be proud of what you have been able to do together, what you have done tonight and how you have grown over our time together.
Teacher in Charge: Ms Dorothy Apelu - Uniform, Fundraising, Administration
Support Staff: Mrs Makerita Lote-Fepuleai - MC for our Fia Fia Night
Support Staff: Mrs Taua Matavao - laulau for Fia Fia Night
Support Staff: Mr Utufiu Niko - laulau Fia Fia Night
Thank you for your commitment and your time in making sure that tonight was a success for our young people.
I would like to thank our parent helpers for having journeyed with us throughout the last 6 weeks. Thank you to Mr and Mrs Tukuafu for your love, time, food and support that you have shown and given to us. Thank you to Mrs Tangi Tawa for your love, support and for helping us organize our t-shirts for Saturday. Thank you Ms Ana Fa'amausili and Mrs Marry Tukuafu for making the kiki for our boy’s uniform. Thank you to all of our parents and families who contributed to our fundraising and who have been so supportive and patient with us. Thank you for entrusting us with your children.
Finally I would like to acknowledge our young people, the 54 strong team that will be representing Tamaki College on the Samoan Stage at Polyfest. Thank you to our students for your commitment, your service, your willingness and openness to learn more about your Samoan language, culture and values. I want to thank and acknowledge our young Tongan, Burmese, Cook Island and Maori students who joined Samoan Group this year and have shown so much love and respect in learning Gagana Samoa and Siva Samoa. You should be proud of what you have been able to do together, what you have done tonight and how you have grown over our time together.
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Tamaki College Samoan Group Leaders 2024 |
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Rehearsal 2024 |
I would like to acknowledge our school leaders who have joined our group, I would like to acknowledge your contribution especially with the busy schedules that you have with school and leadership, thank you - We have our Head Boy and Co Head Boy for 2024, our Student Representative for 2024 and we have a total of 11 School Prefects and House Captains who part of the Samoan Group. I would like to thank and acknowledge our Samoan Group Leaders for 2024 for their leadership of the group this year - a big thank you to our leaders for this year Anaysha Puaga, AJ Pepe, Chris Tagaloa (Fuataimi), Daliz Betham (Taupou), Danielle Meredith and Mathew Tukuafu (Faaluma). Thank you for your service.
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Fia Fia Night 2024 |
Thank you to our Principal Mrs Pamaka, Senior Management and the Board of Trustees for their continual support of the Samoan Group this year.
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Rehearsal 2024 |
Polyfest 2024 |
Every year we enter the competition, we understand the assignment. We understand that there is time pressure to get our students through all the learning of the set, polishing what they have learnt and then to get them to a point where they can perform what they have learnt confidently. We understand that many of our students are new to Gagana Samoa, so we are teaching and nurturing our students to embrace their language. We understand that we have students who are not Samoan but who are willing to participate so we have to guide them through this cultural experience in way that is comfortable and meaningful for them. We understand that it is a competition, so we are training and conditioning our students to perform at competition level. We understand that we have been doing this for 12 years (this is our 12th season) and that we know how to execute our set, we know how to create a culture and learning environment that is inclusive, exciting and meaningful for both our faaiaoga, tutors and students. We understand that the competition is a vehicle for us to drive our cultural values and to bring excellence and discipline to the forefront through our culture. We understand and we are grateful for the legacy and history that we have created over our 12 seasons.
Post performance with the team 2024 |
2010 - 1st Place Ulufale (Entrance)
2011 - 2nd Place Fuataimi (Conductor - Falaniko Liava'a)
2013 - 2nd Place Overall (Co-Ed Section) 1st Place Taupou (Solo performance - Nive Isaako), 1st Place Equal Sasa (Group Dance), 2nd Place Fuataimi (Conductor - John Tuilata Lemalie), 3rd Place Ulufale (Entrance), 3rd Place Ulufafo (Exit), 3rd Place Mauluulu (Group Dance), 3rd Place Togiga (Uniform), 3rd Place Taualuga (Group song)
2014 - 2nd Place Togiga (Uniform), 3rd Place Taupou (Solo performance - Laura I'u), 3rd Place Sasa (Group Dance), 3rd Place Maluulu (Group Dance)
2015 - 3rd Place Pese o le Aso (Songs), 3rd Place Fuataimi (Conductor - Norman Fogavai)
2016 - 3rd Place Pese o le Aso (Songs), 2nd Place Fuataimi (Conductor - Roni Kamu Wright), 2nd Place Taupou (Solo performance - Mui Niue)
2017 - 3rd Place Pese o le Aso (Songs), 2nd Place Fuataimi (Conductor - Tim Fatialofa)
2018 - 2nd Place Equal Pese o le Aso (Songs), 2nd Place Fuataimi (Conductor - Tim Fatialofa)
2021 - 3rd Place Taupou (Solo performance - May Sinfea), 2nd Place Equal Taualuga (Group song), 3rd Place Equal Togiga (Uniform)
2022 - 1st Place Year 13 Speech Competition - Samoan Stage (Maletina Niko)
2023 - 3rd Place Togiga (Uniform)
2024 - 3rd Place = Togiga (Uniform), 2nd Place Taupou (Solo performance - Daliz Betham), A'oga Amio Pulea (Tamaki College)
Backstage @ Polyfest 2024 |
I am grateful and humbled to work alongside an team of teachers, tutors, students and families who understand the assignment and get the assignment done well. It is done! Blessings to all involved in the Tamaki College Samoan Group 2024. To GOD be the glory!
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