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English version

In English, this story by Mehepa Atoni Gaualofa is:

Tokelau Dance Competition

page 2

Te Hei and her friends, Justine and Hana, were playing netball after school. Te Hei enjoys playing netball. It’s her favourite sport. She plays well. Her movements are graceful. She smiles a lot. 

Her friends play well, too. They are all in the school netball team.

page 3

They walked home together. On their way, Justine said to Te Hei, “Hana and I are going to join the Tokelau dancing group. There is a practice tomorrow night in the church hall. Do you want to come with us?”

“What are you practising for?” asked Te Hei.

“It’s for the Youth Gathering at the Easter Tournament. It’s going to be here in our region this year. And lots of people will come from all over New Zealand. It’s awesome.”

“I’m not sure,” said Te Hei. “I don’t know how to dance the Tokelau way. I prefer playing netball.”

“But we love the dancing. It’s such fun. Please come with us,” her friends said.

“OK,” said Te Hei. “I’ll ask my mother.”

page 4

“Hi, Mum,” said Te Hei. She went into the kitchen, where her mother was preparing dinner.

“Hi, Te Hei,” answered her mother, as she put the chicken into the oven. “Did you have a good day at school?”

page 5

“Yes, thanks, Mum,” said Te Hei. “We had netball practice. That was fun.” Te Hei helped her mother prepare the vegetables. She cut up the onions and potatoes. “My friends asked me to go with
them to the Tokelau dance practice tomorrow night. It’s at the church hall. Can I go, please?” Te Hei asked her mum.

Her mum smiled. “Of course,” she said. “Your older brother can take you.”

The next evening, Te Hei and her brother, Lehi, walked to the church hall. It wasn’t far from their house. “It’s awesome that you’re coming tonight to learn how to dance the Tokelau way,” Lehi said to Te Hei.

“But I don’t know how to dance the Tokelau way,” Te Hei said to her brother. “I’m worried. It looks difficult.”

“I’m learning how to play the apa and the pōkihi. It’s fun! You just need to practise,” said her brother.

“Maybe,” said Te Hei. She wasn’t so sure.

page 6

Wow! The hall was full of people. She saw the men with their apa and pōkihi. They were getting ready to play. She saw the older women and men, and lots of young people, getting ready to dance. She saw more people arriving. She looked for her friends. “Where are my friends, Justine and Hana?” she asked her brother.

He smiled. “Look! Over there,” he said. “They’re waving to you.”

Te Hei went over to join her friends.

page 7

“Hi, Te Hei,” said her friends.

“It’s good to see you here,” said Justine.

“Yeah!” agreed Hana.

“Hi, Justine and Hana,” replied Te Hei. “I came with my brother, Lehi. He’s over there. He’s learning to play the apa and pōkihi.”

“Awesome!” said Justine. “Come with us.”

They walked over to the dance group. There were four rows. There was room for them in the row right at the back.

 

 

page 8

“Welcome, everyone. Thank you for coming,” said the dance teacher. “Now let’s start to dance. Are you ready?”

The men started playing the apa and pōkihi. The dancers started to dance.

“Go slow!” said the dance teacher. “Move forwards! Move back!” said the dance teacher. “Now down! Now up!”

“Like this, Te Hei,” whispered Justine.

“Watch me, Te Hei,” said Hana. “You’ve got it!”

 “That’s right, Te Hei,” said the dance teacher. “You’re learning fast.” The dance teacher thanked everyone for coming. “Please come to every practice,” he said. “In three weeks’ time, we’ll pick the rows.”

page 9

Te Hei and her brother, Lehi, went to the church hall every week. Lehi practised his playing. Te Hei practised her dancing.

“Smile!” said the dance teacher. “Go fast!” he said. “Now go faster!” Te Hei and her friends went fast. Then they went faster. They smiled.

“That’s right, everyone,” said the dance teacher. “Please practise the dancing at home. Next week, I’ll pick the rows.”

 

 

page 10

Every day, Te Hei practised her dancing. Lehi practised his playing. Then it was the day before the next practice at the church hall.

“Watch me, Mum,” said Te Hei. She moved backwards. Then she moved forwards. She went down. Then she went up. She turned right. Then she turned left. She went slowly. She went faster. Then she went really fast!

Her mum clapped. “It’s beautiful, Te Hei,” she said.

page 11

Te Hei and her brother walked to the church hall. Te Hei was excited. Tonight, the dance teacher was picking the dancers for the rows.

“Are you ready? Please dance, then we will call your names for the rows,” said the dance teacher.

Te Hei danced and smiled and her movements were graceful.

Then the dance teacher started to call the names for the rows. He called the names for the last row. He called the names for the third row. He called the names for the second row. Te Hei was waiting for her name to be called. Then the dance teacher started to call the names for the first row. Suddenly he called her name. Te Hei couldn’t believe that she was in the front row!

page 12

At the Easter Tournament on Saturday night, Te Hei’s dance group waited for their turn. A dance group from Hawaiʻi performed. A dance group from Tokelau performed. A dance group from Australia performed. They were all excellent dancers and their costumes were beautiful.

Now it was the turn of their dance group to perform. Te Hei danced and smiled and her movements were graceful.

But the group from Hawaiʻi won the competition.

Te Hei was disappointed. “At the next Easter Tournament, our group is going to win!” Te Hei told her friends.

 


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