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Te Ao Hou, December 1966, Page 39

Apanui girls practise a stick game … …and an action song were Te Teko, Paroa, Poroporo, Ruatoki, Tawera Maori Schools and Apanui and Taneatua schools. Items by each school comprised action songs, poi dances, stick games, group songs and the inevitable war dance—the haka. Dress was optional, though the majority of schools performed in traditional Maori costume. Each school performed for a maximum of twenty minutes. The opening item of the evening and the finale were sung en masse. With the finals came the approval by acclamation of the evening's performances. A packed Whakatane War Memorial Hall ten minutes before the starting time assured the organisers that the evening would be financially successful at least. As if in response to the large attendance of parents the children, in turn, rose to the occasion and presented a two-hour programme with the naturalness, enthusiasm and enjoyment not often seen in the more competitive performances of this nature. Although the festival was strictly non-competitive, the winner was undoubtedly—Maori Music. Many a parent and kaumatua must have left the festival fully satisfied that this aspect of continued on next page