Ngaruawahia High School had a Language Festival and invited other schools to come and learn about different cultures. Our school was invited. Japanese, French and Maori were displayed.
First, we were welcomed, then we were taken to a room to learn about Japanese Martial Arts. Ramon showed us Karate moves - side kicks and punches and he told us to slap on the hard places and punch on the soft places. When we kicked, we had to stand on one leg which kept us balanced and our hands clenched up near our faces as well as when we punch. Whenever he taught us what to do, he would invite a volunteer up to show us the correct way. He said, "Make sure that your thumbs are on the outside of the fist, not tucked in; otherwise, you could break your thumb." It was an exciting session because we learnt a lot of useful moves.
Next, we were taken to the stage to watch a Japanese play. When we walked in, we saw lots of Japanese signs. There were an old woman and an old man in the play who had a peach baby. People were wearing masks, and the good side and the bad side fought each other with swords.
After that, we wandered through the hall to look for new things to learn. Some of us watched the Kapa Haka group perform. We might have known the songs they performed. They did lots of actions with their hands and faces. They showed pukana to the audience. Poi were waiting on the side of the stage for their turn. They swung around like a tornado in the girls' hands.
Next, we went off to find the next thing we wanted to do. Some went to the Japanese food table to eat noodles. Others went to the craft table to make earrings or paper hats or weaving flax flowers. Ella played the drums, Mischa tried a medicine made from a flower, Lavinia tried Maori carving and Ella made fried bread.
After the Kapa haka performance, Lavinia dressed up in a Japanese Sumo wrestling outfit and had a playfight with her older sister. At the start of the fight, the referee counted to three and they wrestled wildly. Tyarne tackled Lavinia down to the ground. We were laughing and cheering loudly.
