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

costume for their very promising action song group, and following this, were striving for new knowledge of their culture. As there was no museum and no chance for any first-hand experience of Maori Culture for Primary School Social Studies in the town of Tokoroa, it was proposed that a Maori Culture Festival be organised so that these needs could be provided, both for the Primary Schools and for the Intermediate School Maori Club; and in what better way could they hope to extend their knowledge than by taking part themselves in the exhibits of these arts. The displays included taniko weaving and piu piu making done by the Tokoroa Intermediate Maori Club, carving and tuku tuku performed by Bethlehem Maori School of Tauranga, and plaiting and hangis displayed by Waioeka Maori School. Other exhibits were weapons and weapon fighting, games and pastimes, and the Auckland Museum sent down a Maori Decorative Arts Display which gave continued on page 41 One of the Bethlehem Maori School carvers. Makohiti Brown Waioeka School children demonstrate flax weaving