Students do Gisborne Boys' High proud at Super 8 Cultural Festival
Super 8 traditionally refers to a specific group of secondary schools known for their strong rugby programmes.
That has extended to other sports and events over the years.
The Super 8 Cultural Festival gives students the opportunity to take part in kapa haka, Pasifika performance, dance, theatresports, drama, oratory, debating, solo and group music, chess and visual art at senior and junior level.
'The Super 8 Cultural event is magnificent and the talent on display was amazing,' Cairns said.
'For the festival to run in one venue at a central location makes the event accessible and allows all students to showcase their abilities to large audiences on a national level.'
This year GBHS students were involved in kapa haka, chess, junior and senior debating, junior and senior oratory, senior solo music and group music.
Next year, the school hopes to field teams in all categories.
Cairns said the boys represented themselves and the school admirably and skilfully, as was reflected in their success.
The band Iwi, comprising six Year 12 and 13 students, was second-equal in the group music category.
The three Year 9 and 10 students who made up the junior debating team were second in their first-ever competition.
'Participating and performing in the arts allow students to master skills that will help them to become confident young men who are competent communicators, capable and comfortable at making connections with others,' GBHS director of arts David Lindup said.
'The festival provides an extended opportunity for our students to participate at a level which they do not have locally.'
The Super 8 focus shifts to rugby on Saturday, with Gisborne Boys' High School First XV playing Palmerston North in Gisborne.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Otago Daily Times
6 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Concerns over viability of new venue build
Casting aside Dunedin's Mayfair Theatre from being in contention for council funds for redevelopment could hold back performing arts in the city, a representative has warned. The Dunedin City Council favours supporting a multi-venue package that includes construction of a new theatre and does not include upgrading the 400-seat Mayfair Theatre. The approach backed by the council depends on substantial community fundraising and Mayfair Theatre Charitable Trust chairman Geoff Patton doubts a viable path has been chosen. Mr Patton said there was a lot of uncertainty about the proposal to push ahead with a new performing arts venue, for which the council allocated $9.5million for 2030-31 within its nine-year plan. About $20m would need to come from other sources — but likely more — if the council did not chip in more itself. "My worry is, it's going to suck so much money out of the arts' supporters to build the theatre," Mr Patton said. "If it's going to replace the Mayfair, it has to be able to do everything the Mayfair does now and be better." Backing the Mayfair instead would be cheaper and arts money might then be available to support performances, he suggested. The city council included $17.1m all up in its 2025-34 long-term plan for what was described as cornerstone or seed funding for upgrading the Playhouse Theatre and Athenaeum building and the idea of a new venue. The package pencilled into the plan last week followed years of debate about what should be done after the 2018 closure of the professional Fortune Theatre company. Stage South was set up after the closure to foster and promote the sustainability of professional theatre in Otago and Southland and it was one group critical of the Mayfair's limitations. Councillors were told ahead of long-term plan hearings last month, consideration of further investment into the Mayfair would be a mistake and the converted picture theatre was "fundamentally unfit as a 21st century performing arts venue". Problems included an inflexible stage, poor acoustics for the spoken word, inadequate access and the building was damp and aged, the Stage South submission said. The ethos behind a new build was outlined on the group's website. "All should feel welcome: amateurs and professionals, Māori and [Pasifika] groups, disabled performers and audience members, dance, opera and touring companies, musicians, schools, children's and musical theatre. Two dedicated performance spaces maximises return, and a new build ensures that 21st century technology is incorporated right from the start." The Mayfair had been part of a combined pitch to the council alongside the Playhouse and Athenaeum venues for refurbishment funds, but it fell out of the picture this year. The council had pushed for the theatre sector to arrive at a consensus about what was needed. A statement of intent came out of a collective known as the Performing Arts Group in January — a new build was in and the Mayfair was essentially absent. "Had I been involved with that or even shown the draft before it was sent, I would simply have said, 'well, I disagree'," Mr Patton said. "Don't call it a consensus when it's not." There were then efforts to discredit the Mayfair through submissions to the council, he said. "You can do that if you want to, but you actually need to give the Mayfair credit for what it does. "On virtually no money, we've kept that theatre going." It was well-used, particularly for musicals. Plans existed for new toilets, installing a lift and replacing the roof. "From now going forward, nothing will happen, because we've been told that to get any sort of substantial fundraising for something like this, a redevelopment, that we will need council backing," Mr Patton said. "And if you don't have council backing, you won't get it."
Scoop
04-06-2025
- Scoop
Historic Samoan Tattoo Event Makes Global Museum History At Tūhura Otago Museum
Yesterday marked a monumental moment in cultural history as Tūhura Otago Museum hosted the world's first-ever public demonstration of traditional Samoan tattooing in a museum setting. The event, which drew a captivated audience, was also a first for Dunedin and the South Island, making it a truly landmark occasion. World-renowned Su'a Sulu'ape Peter, a tufuga tā tātāu (master tattooist), led the live demonstration, a rare and sacred practice steeped in centuries of tradition. Known for his long two-year waiting list, Su'a Sulu'ape Peter's presence in Dunedin for over two weeks represents an extraordinary opportunity to engage with one of Samoa's most revered cultural expressions. The event began with a public talk where Su'a Sulu'ape Peter shared the rich cultural history of the Pe'a and Malu – traditional Samoan tattoos for men and women – and followed with a live tattooing session, deeply spiritual and emotionally powerful. He was joined by his Mea nā'itaua (wife of the tufuga tā tātāu) and au koso (essential assistants), who spoke about their vital roles in the sacred process. This art form, which has withstood colonisation and suppression by Western religious ideologies, was witnessed in full respect and reverence — a moment that connected generations and celebrated indigenous resilience. Pasifika Engagement Co-ordinator at Tūhura Otago Museum, Leota Meredith, reflected: 'The museum is honoured to have hosted this historic event. It's a powerful reminder of the strength and beauty of indigenous art and a proud moment for our Pasifika communities and the wider public.' The event was made possible thanks to the support of Tautala Faletolu, Moananū Pesa Tili, and Talai Naubalasi, Directors of So'oula o Samoa, who have long worked alongside Pacific communities in churches, schools, and universities across Aotearoa. Tautala Faletolu added 'This ceremony marks the first time in history that traditional Samoan tattooing has been publicly performed in a museum anywhere in the world. It's a moment of immense cultural pride and sends a powerful message about the value of indigenous knowledge, identity, and unity.' This unprecedented gathering offered more than a glimpse into tradition, it was a living embodiment of cultural survival, artistry, and connection. A proud day not just for Dunedin, but for the global Samoan and Pacific community.
Otago Daily Times
03-06-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Tattoo was ‘extra special'
Getting a traditional Samoan tātāu (tattoo) really does bring a tear to the eye — in more ways than one. Dunedin-born Samoan Vicky Fitiao, who got a Tualima (a traditional hand tattoo) yesterday, said she was fine until she could feel the Au (tattoo comb) hitting the bones in her fingers. "It was extremely painful, only in certain areas — mainly my fingers, in the lower parts of my fingers — they were the worst. "I think it was more [that] I could feel it hitting my bone." Most Samoans get one hand done at a time, but Mrs Fitiao had both done. She said she had had two sons, and it was not quite as painful as childbirth, but pretty close. Yet, the thing that really brought a tear to her eye was the fact her tātāu was done by world-renowned tufuga tā tātāu (master tattooist) Su'a Sulu'ape Peter, during a live public demonstration at Tūhura Otago Museum yesterday. She said it was an honour to have her tātāu done by Mr Peter. Dunedin-born Samoan Vicky Fitiao proudly shows her Tualima (traditional Samoan hand tattoo), done by tufuga tā tātāu (master tattooist) Su'a Sulu'ape Peter (below) yesterday. Photos: Peter McIntosh "It just gives it that extra special meaning. "It makes me proud of my heritage and my culture. "And just hearing all the people in there, with their words of encouragement, got me through it. "It certainly brings a tear to the eye, in more ways than one. "These are tears of joy and happiness, that I've been through it now." The public event was historic because Tūhura Otago Museum was the first museum in the world to show how the sacred art form was created. Museum Pasifika engagement co-ordinator Leota Meredith said the museum was honoured to host such a significant event. "This is an incredible opportunity for our Pasifika communities and the wider public to witness and gain insight into this powerful, unique and historic traditional art form." The work was done in front of a live audience at Tūhura Otago Museum. She said it offered a rare and respectful window into the resilience, beauty and cultural importance of Samoan tattooing. The event included an 'ava, or kava ceremony, and a public talk about the culture behind the practice, followed by the live tātāu demonstration. The art form has endured through generations, resisting the forces of colonisation and Western religious ideologies that sought to suppress it. Mr Peter is a direct descendant of Samoa's principal tattooing lineage and he continues in his forebears' footsteps, upholding and protecting the sacred tradition entrusted to his family. He will be in Dunedin for the next two weeks, performing Pe'a and Malu — traditional Samoan tattoos for men and women — along with his Mea nā'itaua (wife of the tufuga tā tātāu) and au koso (essential assistants). The tattooing is a deeply spiritual process that honours the recipient's ancestors and family, creating a powerful connection between past and present. During his time in Dunedin, Mr Peter will perform a traditional Pe'a for a Dunedin man, which is expected to take up to a week to complete.
