Pride And Passion As Day Two Of ASB Polyfest Kicks Off

The second day of ASB Polyfest gets underway at 9:30am this morning, without the crowds, but with plenty of talent and enthusiasm from students taking part.

The current COVID-19 setting means students are performing in front of ASB Polyfest judges only this year, with family and friends watching live online via the livestream coverage supported by ASB.

Avondale College Principal Lyndy Watkinson, and Deputy Principal Brenda Fa’alongo-McNaughton say they’re very pleased to see the festival go ahead as it means a great deal to those performing.

Watkinson said – “ASB Polyfest is a significant part of the life of our school. The celebration and learning is not just from performing at the festival, but from the journey to get there.”

Fa’alongo-McNaughton added – “performing at Polyfest this year means ‘normal’ is possible. This is a boon after so much of students’ lives have been cancelled or put on hold because it is too hard in the current climate.”

The journey to get on an ASB Polyfest stage has been a challenging one for students in 2022, with Watkinson saying – “availability for sign-ups, meetings, initial practices looked very different in 2022 than in previous years. Students didn’t know who might suddenly need to isolate and so key people who would normally drive groups’ momentum might not be able to do so – through no fault of their own. Each group needed every member to see themselves as leaders so that as students came back from isolation, they could work with them during morning tea, lunch breaks and before practices started, to get them up to speed with the rest of the group.”

Fa’alongo-McNaughton added – “our practice spaces have been outdoors so students could sing, and wearing masks during practices, despite the heat, to keep each other safe was new for 2022.”

Despite the challenges, hundreds of Auckland students will grace an ASB Polyfest stage in 2022 Lyndy Watkinson’s advice to her students is to “keep going and have faith in each other. Also, don’t compare with previous years. That is our benchmark, and we will aspire to that, but this year with so many absences and disruptions we will focus on what we can control and be proud of our endeavour and tenacity in getting to Polyfest to perform.”

Brenda Fa’alongo-McNaughton summed up what it means for Avondale College students to be here this year saying – “We can represent more than just our school this year, we can give voice to all of those other students and communities that aren’t able to be here and celebrate the richness of our diverse cultures together at ASB Polyfest 2022.”

Lyndy Watkinson shared a similar sentiment saying to her students – “others may be struggling right now, and may not able to participate this year to celebrate their heritage and culture, but we can take that torch and celebrate for them.”

Day two of 2022 ASB Polyfest festival will be one of celebration with kapa haka on the Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi Maori Stage from 9:45am – 5:45pm and an array of performances on the Unitec Diversity Stage from 9:45am – 2:35pm including Fijian, Indian, Thai & Tuvaluan. The University of Auckland Samoan Stage hosts a Samoan speech competition today from 9:30am – 3:30pm.

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