The night was a true celebration of words, creativity, and storytelling, all centred around our rangatahi. It was filled with honesty, encouragement, love, and ambition, a special gathering where whānau came together to support and celebrate the brave young poets stepping up to share their spoken word with a packed audience. The room was buzzing with energy right from the start. Music played, voices mingled as families and friends greeted each other, and the air was full of smiles and excitement. Seeing everyone coming together like that made the atmosphere feel warm and alive, an instant reminder of the power of community. Rangatahi waving at their whānau as they walked into the room and whānau trying to spot their young person was a touching moment.
The event was opened with a beautiful Karakia Tūtawa mai, which was very fitting for this event as it calls on energy and vitality from the universe and is used as a Karakia for unity which further reinforces the sense of community in that space. The host brought incredible energy and warmth to the event, effortlessly drawing the audience in and creating a space where everyone felt involved. Before the poetry started, he led a lively warm-up that perfectly captured the spirit of spoken word. He shared a bit of his Samoan heritage with us, teaching a fun clapping rhythm: ‘pati’ for one clap, ‘lua pati’ for two, ‘mili mili’ for rubbing hands, and ‘mili mili patia’ for rubbing and clapping. Then came the animal impressions—tiger claws and roars filled the room, followed by buffalo grunts and horn gestures. The energy was contagious; everyone joined in enthusiastically, the sounds growing louder and more playful with each round. It was honestly one of the most fun moments of audience participation I’ve experienced at an event. What made it even more special was how the Samoan language and culture were woven so naturally into the experience, bringing an extra layer of connection and joy to the room.
The judging panel for this event was introduced to the audience and included an array of incredibly talented writers, performers and poets. One of whom was Tusiata Avia, known for her breathtaking poetry. You may have heard her iconic poem about Captain Cook in her mesmerizing poetry collection named The Savage Coloniser Book which is available in our library collections to borrow.
Our competing schools included Cashmere High, Villa Maria College, Te Aratai College, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Manawatū and Christchurch Girls High. As our participating rangatahi stepped onto the stage, lit by the spotlight and surrounded by the audience’s silence, with only the gentle finger snaps breaking the stillness, you notice their vulnerability as they speak their truth with bravery, angst, wisdom, and deeply emotive gestures. Hearing the voices of the next generation and what they had to say was truly moving and eye-opening. It was a privilege to be in a space where freedom of expression was encouraged. As our host mentioned, our poets weren’t being censored, instead, they were empowered to share their thoughts and feelings, no matter how deep they chose to go.
All the poems were original works. Some contestants performed solo, while others took the stage as part of a duo or trio. There was a wide range of themes explored by our young poets, from body image, grief, and racism to hurtful words and the tension between expectations and achievements. These are heavy topics, and at some point, in your life, you may have experienced some of these feelings yourself. Now imagine carrying all of that as a teenager. Poetry offers a safe and powerful outlet for expressing deep emotions. Even though I didn’t know any of the poets personally, I felt immensely proud of them for giving it their all. I found myself deeply relating to many of the poems and reaching back to connect with my younger self, who once carried similar feelings.
There were also poetry performances of a lighter nature, some of which brought laughter from the audience, a welcome shift amidst all the emotion in the room. These included poems about being a typical teenager, making mistakes and learning from them, role-playing between books and movies, and a personal favourite, a podcast-themed poem where the contestant created her own character within the piece.
The creativity among the rangatahi was outstanding and truly inspiring. There’s nothing quite like hearing stories and words that touch your heart and leave you thinking. A couple of poems even moved me to tears, one about body image, and another about feeling disconnected from your culture and not knowing it well enough.
I felt the judges’ comments were really encouraging and promoted a positive mindset, one that supports growth, self-expression, and the confidence to speak your truth without holding back. Some comments that really stood out and connected with our young people included praise for Te Aratai College for having a 'mean aura,' Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Manawatū for their 'good humour and honesty,' and Cashmere High for how they 'owned the stage.' Christchurch Girls’ High was celebrated for bringing 'heart and humor,' while Villa Maria College was commended for their 'good use of metaphor, rhythm, and character.'
Many of the poems included elements of different languages, and it was beautiful to witness the multiculturalism in the room. Our young people are not afraid of who they are, they’re embracing their biculturalism and proudly sharing their languages with us. We heard powerful moments in Te Reo Māori, Chinese, Portuguese, and other languages woven into their performances.
Three rounds later, we reach the final moments of calibrating the judges' scores. As we wait for this to happen, the session concludes with a guest speaker sharing their powerful poem, followed by a Karakia sung with such emotion by a young poet. As the drumroll begins, our host announces the winner: Cashmere High School! In my eyes, they were all winners, shining brightly and persevering even when nerves took hold. I look forward to seeing some of their faces at future poetry events as these students clearly have the potential to take their craft even further. Cashmere High School is now off to Tāmaki Makaurau to compete in the final Grand Slam competition. All the best to the students of Cashmere High and above all, don’t forget to enjoy the experience.
Photos
Photos from the Front Line High School Grand Slam
Jemimah
Hapori, Tūranga
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