Mere Rang Indian & Indo Fijian Celebration

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Mere Rang  - My Colours

This event was created and hosted very professionally by Hornby High School students, lead by Risha, in August 2023. My feeling is that it has grown out of the increasing number of schools in the Uru Mānuka Kahui that have Indian cultural dance groups. Our teacher Deepshikha Sethi teaches both Classical and Bollywood dances, and, as is for Kapa Haka, cultural awareness & language are embraced as Dee explains the stories that are told through the dances.
Our Bollywood group was the first in the cluster. We have been a group since 2021. The group came about when a year 5 student of mine asked if we could learn Bollywood dances and her mother showed me a family video, dancing Bollywood in Fiji.  Upon starting the group, I learned that this dance style was also part of the cultural experience of our Middle Eastern students who immediately joined the new group.
A wonderful benefit of the group, was the confidence and cultural pride that resulted, which saw several students begin speaking Hindi in the classroom. 


 



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