The Te Aute College Song and Haka Festival is a competition that aims to revive many of its old songs that are no longer being sung. An inaugural event that will see old boys and girls come from all over the country.
Te Aute College has a rich history, spanning more than 150 years and it'll be on the show this weekend.
Te Aute Principal Shane Hiha says, “It's going to be fantastic I'm really looking forward to it, all the old boys that are coming by all accounts they are preparing for their kapa haka competition.”
Te Aute Assistant Principal Te Hira Paenga says, “There will be workshops there with various lessons to help encourage the young ones today with their creativity, singing and writing here at Te Aute.”
It's a time to honour the contribution of one of its most instrumental chaplains Anaru Takurua.
“The connection back with the old boys is really important to us they were here at the time that Anaru Takurua was here, a lot of them, and he influenced their lives and that's why they're coming back,” says Hiha.
The festival will be an opportunity to revitalise some of the old Te Aute hymns and songs both in Māori or English.
“The time is right to be able for the old students of Te Aute to put these into a book, to capture those special songs and haka for this generation,” says Paenga.
The festival goes for three days at the college itself, beginning Friday and ending this Sunday.