Fiafia Night is a special occasion in our Rutherford community, bringing together students, families, and staff to celebrate the culmination of six weeks of hard mahi in preparation for the ASB Polyfest.

"O fanau a manu e fafaga i fuga o laau, o fanau a tagata e fafaga i upu - the offspring of birds are fed with nectar, but the children of people are fed with words", a powerful Samoan proverb emphasizing the duty we have to nurture the next generation with knowledge, stories and wisdom. As elders, parents and teachers it is our responsibility to pass on our culture and language to younger generations. 

Fiafia Night is a special occasion in our Rutherford community, bringing together students, families, and staff to celebrate the culmination of six weeks of hard mahi in preparation for the ASB Polyfest. What began as a simple dress rehearsal has grown into something much more meaningful.

The evening has become a powerful expression of community and culture. It is always inspiring to see our aiga - young and old - fill the space with pride and support, standing alongside staff and students to uplift our performers. The atmosphere is one of unity, where every song, chant and dance reflects not only dedication but also identity. 

Most importantly, Fiafia Night is a reminder of the vital role our young people play in carrying forward our Pacific languages and traditions. Through their performances, they demonstrate that these cultural practices are alive, valued and being passed on to the next generation. It is more than a dress rehearsal - it is a celebration of heritage, resilience, and the strength of our Rutherford community.  -Kerry Taula , TIC Music, TIC Samoan Group, Stage Manager Fiafia Night 

Fiafia Night and the Dance Challenge were a powerful celebration of who we are as a school community. Both were packed with  energy, colour, and pride of our students and whānau. Culture was alive in every performance, expressed through movement, music, and storytelling and laughter with students showing confidence and mana as they honoured their heritage through the performing arts.

What stood out just as strongly was the incredible support from whānau. The warmth in the gym matched the energy on stage, creating an atmosphere full of belonging, pride, and aroha. It was a beautiful reminder of the strength of our community and the importance of coming together to celebrate culture. -Janine Carr, Deputy Principal 

The intensity of the work throughout the term, in bringing together so many elements, fades away in one magical evening when students shine and give their very best after just weeks of preparation.

I looked forward to  the Dance Challenge, because it was wonderful to see how a video-production dance translated into a live performance. It showcased a blend of different groups performing their own styles to a single song, each incorporating their unique movements. Symbolically, it reflected that although we were all different, we were united—one school and  one community. I eagerly await an entire term to see our collective Haka at the end. It was electrifying, both for the students performing and for the wider community watching, as everyone was dressed in different outfits yet moved in perfect unity—a true goosebump moment.

Thank you to Polyfest  for giving our students the opportunity to perform live, experience different cultures, and celebrate the arts with our community. The event ran smoothly because of the collective effort and dedication of so many staff, students, and volunteers who contributed behind the scenes and on the night itself.

A heartfelt thank you goes to all Cultural Group ICs, the Performing Arts Department, staff volunteers, and student volunteers—including Prefects, Cultural Committee members, Pasifika Committee, and all other students who stepped up to help. Your support, energy, and willingness to contribute made a significant difference and ensured the success of the event. -Sandi Perumal - Cultural and Arts Coordinator, Staff IC of Cultural Committee 

Friday nights Fiafia night is truly one of the highlights of the Rutherford year. Once again our groups performed to a packed and vibrant hall. The festival of colour, song and dance gave the crowd an experience you would have had to go to many countries to witness. The hard work, commitment and dedication to their performances, from the students on the stage and those behind the scenes was readily apparent. The crowd, already lively and energetic, left with a spring in their step and a smile on their face.    - Darren White, TIC of Social Studies, Official Usherer for Fiafia Night  

Fiafia night is always such a special occasion. It’s great to see so many of our students shining, and so many of our community come out in support. It’s hard to pick favourites but stand outs for me were the Cook Islands Group, Te Kotuku Kapa Haka and the Dance challenge segment. - Katie Betanzo, HOD English, Official Staff Photographer for all Arts Events 

Fiafia Night at Rutherford only started back up in 2024 after a break due to COVID. I was in year eleven, this event was unheard of for me, so I was excited to participate with the African dance group. I had performed at Polyfest twice before with crowds so small or no crowd at all because of COVID. I expected Fiafia to be just as small. I remember looking up to the crowd that night in pure shock as there were no empty spaces to be found, every eye was on me, my nerves grew and grew until I heard my group shouting “GO CHARLI, GO CHARLI” as I danced solo, I felt a wave of confidence run over my body. Ever since, Fiafia night has been one of my favourite events at Rutherford.

In 2025, the African group had disbanded, but it didn’t stop me performing that night. We decided to put the dance challenge as the finale piece, where our African group had a ten second sequence we performed within the dance. The excitement I felt being able to see that crowd again, knowing that this dance challenge was all our hard work being celebrated, was something I will never forget. The cheers and claps as we shouted “ASB Polyfest 2025” will forever be cemented in my brain. 

This year I performed in the live version of our dance challenge again but instead with the Bollywood group, but I also helped as a member of the Cultural Committee. Seeing the show from the crowd was a new experience for me but was still so powerful. I saw our students, teachers and parents from the crowd with the biggest smiles on their faces. Being an audience member still felt like a dream, the mana of our school was being celebrated as a Rutherford community. 

FIAFIA Night to me, is an event at Rutherford where you are being celebrated and are a part of the culture whether you are in the crowd, backstage or on stage and I believe being able to experience that feeling together is something so special, not everyone gets to experience it. -Charlotte Dye, Cultural Captain, Prefect’s Volunteer  Coordinator. Dance Challenge formation Coordinator 

For Fiafia Night, I took on an overall leadership role alongside Charlotte Dye and Sandi Perumal, helping to manage a range of responsibilities while also leading my K-Pop dance group. It was an incredibly busy night, with everyone actively fulfilling their roles and contributing to the success of the event.

Last year, the Cultural Committee introduced the Dance Challenge item just before the Haka performance, and it was a huge success. It provided a fitting way to bring together all cultural groups in one final performance. This year, we continued the tradition, and it was especially meaningful to see everyone come together once again for the final Dance Challenge item.

Being involved in these events has motivated me to continue stepping into new opportunities and contributing more to the school community. It has been a truly unforgettable and rewarding experience. -Abbey Nguyen, Cultural Captain,  Cultural Committee Volunteer  Coordinator

I only watched the Tuvaluan Group and Kapa Haka, and after watching them, I regretted volunteering for parking duty.  I wish I could have been there to watch the other performances, which would have been so amazing to watch and experience. From what I watched, I was awe-struck by the culture, the talent, and the hard work shown by the performers. -Aayan Ghoshal , Head boy 

Since I was on car park duty I only made it in time to watch the Tuvaluan group and then the kapa haka. I wished I wasn't on car park duty because I missed out on watching all the other performances. The performances I was able to watch were incredible, and I got to experience a bit of their culture. The kapa haka group never fails to give me goosebumps and I am always so amazed with their performances. This FiaFia night was the first one I had ever been to, and now I'm wishing I had gone to it every year just to experience those amazing cultures. -Lola Yates, Prefect

Fiafia Night has always been a special night for me, as of last year I was performing for Indian Dance  on that stage, while this year I'm helping make that stage come to life by being backstage. I have enjoyed filming and designing posters and creating the photo frame  to allow our community to experience Rutherford's diverse cultures! Working alongside the Cultural Committee was a blast! I learnt so much from them and in so little time, I'm grateful for this opportunity and hope that Rutherford will continue to showcase its mana in the race for Polyfest championship! - Kaleb DuRepos , Cultural Committee, Videographer Dance Challenge 

I love capturing the energy and passion of the cultural dancers through my camera lens. Fia Fia night shows us how talented Rutherford students are, and how we can come together and celebrate our diversity. It makes me feel proud and grateful to be a part of it.  -Bella Vega Marzano Cultural Committee / Official Photographer 

"It was an amazing night with a huge variety of performances, each one being as interesting as the last. It showed great professionalism, balanced perfectly with a sense of authenticity. 

I was amazed to see how many cultural groups Rutherford College had to offer. -Harry Donald, Cultural Committee , Volunteer at Fiafia Night 

Although I was only there for a short time helping out, Fiafia night was an awesome experience! I loved seeing the number of people in the audience to support, and all of the people involved made the night a fun and enjoyable event. I learned how much work goes into one night to pull off a show like they did, which was so inspiring. -Ruby Murphy Cultural Committee  

Talofa, my name is Mafa and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to have served as the MC for Fifianight 2026. I am  incredibly honoured to have represented my country, Tuvalu, and to enthusiastically introduce each of the cultural performances. It was a nerve wracking but crazy experience which allowed me to develop my leadership skills in front of a large audience and adapt to unexpected challenges. The cultural performances were truly inspiring. I also appreciated the chance to demonstrate my public speaking abilities with confidence and enthusiasm to such a supportive crowd. A special thanks to my taina Keleni Tupou for her support throughout the event as the other MC, which significantly eased any pressure. Finally, I extend my sincere gratitude to the teachers and staff for entrusting me with this role. Thank you and all Glory to God. -Mafa Levi Cultural Committee , Tuvaluan Group, Fiafia Night Emcee

Fia fia night is such a euphoric experience, which I recommend to all students. Whether it be performing or helping out on the side, the community that comes together to produce such diversity of cultures we share in New Zealand is so strong and empowering. I have been involved with fiafia night throughout my whole experience in Rutherford so far, and have enjoyed learning and being a part of a few of our many groups. I have been a part of African with very sharp movement, Chinese with flowing, soft steps and Bollywood showdown with a mix of pop and intricate styles. Taking part in different groups has taught me how unique our cultures are and the different stories behind the way each culture moves. -Isha Baynosa -Cultural Committee , Dance Challenge Group 

Talofa Lava, This year was my third Fiafia night at Rutherford and the second that I have performed at. Performing at Fiafia night over the years has not only been an incredibly fun experience being able to perform for my friends and family but also has allowed me to experience the themes and performances of other cultures which I would have otherwise known very little about. Overall I commend the incredible support that the teachers and group tutors have given us as we prepare for polyfest and I am looking forward to making them and our school proud on the day! -Fabian Fabricius - Cultural Committee , Samoan Group 

Fia Fia night was an amazing experience that felt both exciting and meaningful. It was great to participate and see representation of all different cultures where we all came together for the night, there was such a strong sense of pride and energy in the air. Watching everyone else perform was really cool.The Dances, music, and costumes were all so beautiful and vibrant. The whole night felt unforgettable, and it made me even more excited for this coming Polyfest.

Being a part of Chinese dance was so fun and immersing of the culture. Even though I’m not Chinese, it was such a great experience to be part of. The dance was graceful and beautiful which we learned with the help of our dance tutor. We shared so many laughs while learning and practicing together, which made it even more special. Fia Fia night and Polyfest are both amazing events that celebrate culture, and being part of the Chinese dance made it even more special. It was really fun learning the movements and understanding a different culture, especially performing alongside everyone else.  -Katrina Kochi, Cultural Committee, Chinese Dance Group, Dance Challenge Group 

The 2026 Fia Fia Night became one of my year's most memorable moments. Participating in the dance challenge with several cultural groups was fun and exciting, in addition to showcasing Filipino culture through performance. It highlighted the various cultures in Rutherford, and how those cultures combined to produce one big performance. The members involved as well as the staff, especially Ms. Sandi, got along well with each other, showcasing how different communities can become one. I'm honoured to be part of this event, and I'm looking forward to the success of upcoming performances in the future. 

Cris Leenard Malicdem -  Cultural Committee , Filipino Group , Dance Challenge Group