This year, with pride and joy, we participated and demonstrated amazing spirit and enthusiasm in the BestStart Waikato Cultural Festival 2025!
In the lead-up to the festival, all of our tamariki showed such dedication and excitement as we practised dances from our different cultures every day.
Whether it was learning new movements, listening to music, or exploring the meanings behind each dance, the tamariki showed respect, curiosity, and a love for learning about the world around us. On the day of the festival, we were all ready, confident, and so excited to perform.
We wore our beautiful cultural outfits with pride, supported each other with big smiles and kind words, and shone brightly on the stage. It was such a special moment seeing all of our tamariki enjoying every single part of the day—dancing, sharing, and celebrating with friends, families, and other centres.
What did we learn? Through this experience, we all learned so many wonderful things:
- Respect for different cultures – We learned about traditions, languages, and stories from around the world.
- Confidence and teamwork – We supported one another, practised together, and performed as one strong team.
- Belonging and identity – We celebrated who we are and where we come from, while also appreciating others’ cultures.
- Joy in movement and music – We expressed ourselves through dance and had so much fun doing it! This was a powerful experience of inclusion, expression, and celebration.
Well done, tamariki – your enthusiasm, kindness, and cultural pride made this event truly special. We can't wait for the next opportunity to join in on the cultural festival again in the years to come.
To celebrate our success, we had a mat time where we proudly presented certificates to all of our participants.