Blogs • The President 2009
Haka and Waiata
Posted by Tom English on Thursday, April 23, 2009
/ 8 Comments
The Haka and Waiata, after a few intense months of training and vigilant practise, have been presented within the College. The men and women of Selwyn put hours of sweat and hardwork into learning and fine tuning these two special representations of our College... Trust me, the windows of the common room steam up after a good practise!
It is due to the huge respect we have for the Maori culture and traditions of not only Selwyn "Te Whare O Herewini", but of Aotearoa, that this is such a big deal for the college. The boys presented a rousing haka to the women of our college, after a spiritual preparation in the Chapel.
It's an intense and spine-tingling experience. Long, slow, precise and ferocious; in my experience of watching many boys schools hakas, I am yet to have seen a college perform with quite the same passion or feeling. It is a truly unique facet of Selwyn College. With a rigid selection process of not only the leaders of the haka, but the lines themselves, every Selwynite is eager and proud to be apart of something greater than himself. Congratulations must be given to the boys selected to lead, with Jesse Waipara selected as the Sub-Kaea and Nick Morgan given the supreme honour of Kaea, again after a long selection process... For the duration of the haka, the Kaea is in complete command of the boys of the college, and being selected is indicative of their mana and the respect for them.
The girls then presented a beautiful waiata the following night, and even though many of them told me they were worried they wouldn't be able to match the haka, they were wrong!
Us boys were truly blown away by the lovely warmth and beauty that the girls exuded when singing the waiata, and it brought tears to more than a few eyes. We boys hadn't seen that side of the girls before! They were led fantastically by Joanna Lealiifano as Sub-kaea, and Ayla Jenkins as kaea. The girls of the college really lit up the quad that night and their radiance was there for all to see, which is a tribute to the leaders and all their hard work; I don't think its something many of us will forget.
The haka and waiata presentations are special nights, a once in a lifetime experience. It is a turning point for a new group of people thrown together, to become Selwynites who claim ownership of the place and the family within it;
For each of us the haka and waiata is a very personal expression of a piece of New Zealands unique culture, a piece of the place you live and all the traditions that go with it, and a tribute to the special people within.
It is due to the huge respect we have for the Maori culture and traditions of not only Selwyn "Te Whare O Herewini", but of Aotearoa, that this is such a big deal for the college. The boys presented a rousing haka to the women of our college, after a spiritual preparation in the Chapel.
It's an intense and spine-tingling experience. Long, slow, precise and ferocious; in my experience of watching many boys schools hakas, I am yet to have seen a college perform with quite the same passion or feeling. It is a truly unique facet of Selwyn College. With a rigid selection process of not only the leaders of the haka, but the lines themselves, every Selwynite is eager and proud to be apart of something greater than himself. Congratulations must be given to the boys selected to lead, with Jesse Waipara selected as the Sub-Kaea and Nick Morgan given the supreme honour of Kaea, again after a long selection process... For the duration of the haka, the Kaea is in complete command of the boys of the college, and being selected is indicative of their mana and the respect for them.
The girls then presented a beautiful waiata the following night, and even though many of them told me they were worried they wouldn't be able to match the haka, they were wrong!
Us boys were truly blown away by the lovely warmth and beauty that the girls exuded when singing the waiata, and it brought tears to more than a few eyes. We boys hadn't seen that side of the girls before! They were led fantastically by Joanna Lealiifano as Sub-kaea, and Ayla Jenkins as kaea. The girls of the college really lit up the quad that night and their radiance was there for all to see, which is a tribute to the leaders and all their hard work; I don't think its something many of us will forget.
The haka and waiata presentations are special nights, a once in a lifetime experience. It is a turning point for a new group of people thrown together, to become Selwynites who claim ownership of the place and the family within it;
For each of us the haka and waiata is a very personal expression of a piece of New Zealands unique culture, a piece of the place you live and all the traditions that go with it, and a tribute to the special people within.
Roadie to College House
Posted by Tom English on Friday, April 3, 2009
/ 21 Comments
Every year Selwyn and College House of Christchurch have two exchanges, a cultural in the first semester and a sporting in the second. Each college takes it in turn to host one of these each year, and so on Friday the 27th of March, Selwyn loaded into buses with spirits and luggage weights booming, for a weekend at the impressive College House. The Principal's Cup is competed for over the following 5 events; Debating, Theatresports, Choral singing, band and Instrumental. A certain number of Selwnyites are billeted within College House, and the others make themselves at home in their new friends places around Christchurch. The competition was of an amazing standard this year, which was obvious to anyone watching and also to the judges and it was a true testament to the abilities of everyone in each event that 3 events came to a result by a difference of 1 point! Unfortunately, Selwyn was on the wrong side of this 1 point each time but we were no less proud by every performers showing. College House won the Debating, Choral, Band and Instrumental and Selwyn continued its unbeaten Theatresports team run from last year.
On Saturday evening, Selwyn was also treated to a formal meal in the College House dining hall- I was lucky enough to sit at the High Table and admire a fine mid-dinner performance by College House students outside the wall size windows whilst we ate, and wear academic robes lent by them to me, which is a College House tradition for dinner. I couldn't stop thinking "Harry Potter, Harry Potter".
After this we celebrated a pretty fantastic weekend together with a party at the Foundry, a fine local establishment, whilst the bands battled it out on stage. College House is a very similar demographic of people from around the country to Selwyn, so I'm sure many aquaintances were made that will last for a while- at least till the next exchange in second semester!
I must mention Leah Carrell, the Selwyn Cultural Representative, who put a huge amount of work into this weekend and made it all possible- it certainly makes my job easier knowing that someone is taking responsibility and making things happen, and she really rose to the occasion. I really got to ride the haunches of her hard work the whole weekend.
All in all, a hugely successful weekend from both Colleges perspective.
The buses departed on Sunday morning, full of Selwynites less than eager for the 6 hours bus drive.! Unfortunately for me I was staying up another day for the Kings of Leon so missed the bus ride, but I was proud of the College this weekend and proud to be a part of this exchange.
Oh, and a special shout out must be made to Niels Yuan- who played the Moonlight Sonata's 3rd movement for piano for the Instrumental competition.
We told you so!
You're my boy Niels, you're my boy.
On Saturday evening, Selwyn was also treated to a formal meal in the College House dining hall- I was lucky enough to sit at the High Table and admire a fine mid-dinner performance by College House students outside the wall size windows whilst we ate, and wear academic robes lent by them to me, which is a College House tradition for dinner. I couldn't stop thinking "Harry Potter, Harry Potter".
After this we celebrated a pretty fantastic weekend together with a party at the Foundry, a fine local establishment, whilst the bands battled it out on stage. College House is a very similar demographic of people from around the country to Selwyn, so I'm sure many aquaintances were made that will last for a while- at least till the next exchange in second semester!
I must mention Leah Carrell, the Selwyn Cultural Representative, who put a huge amount of work into this weekend and made it all possible- it certainly makes my job easier knowing that someone is taking responsibility and making things happen, and she really rose to the occasion. I really got to ride the haunches of her hard work the whole weekend.
All in all, a hugely successful weekend from both Colleges perspective.
The buses departed on Sunday morning, full of Selwynites less than eager for the 6 hours bus drive.! Unfortunately for me I was staying up another day for the Kings of Leon so missed the bus ride, but I was proud of the College this weekend and proud to be a part of this exchange.
Oh, and a special shout out must be made to Niels Yuan- who played the Moonlight Sonata's 3rd movement for piano for the Instrumental competition.
We told you so!
You're my boy Niels, you're my boy.