Standing Strong in Our Roots: The Waitākere College Kiribati Group

When the Waitākere College Kiribati youth stepped onto the stage at the Waitākere College Pacific Awards dressed in their traditional wear, it represented far more than a performance. It was the visible result of courage, initiative, and a group of young people deciding that their culture deserved space in West Auckland.

The Kiribati group began with Monique, a Year 10 student who noticed something missing. There were Kiribati students in Waitākere College, around 15 of them, but no club and no organised space to gather. She wanted somewhere they could express their culture through dance and show others who they are. She wanted a place that connected them back to Kiribati, even while living far from home.

So she created one.

What began as an idea quickly became a committed youth-led space where Kiribati students meet regularly to practise dance, language, and song. Rehearsals are consistent and focused. Learning traditional choreography requires repetition, timing, coordination, and collective rhythm. Through practice, students build stamina, balance, and body confidence. They stay physically active in a way that feels natural and meaningful to them while being around the people that they feel comfortable with to try new things and have input with their own ideas.

For many of the students, this is also where identity strengthens.

Selemaia, a Year 11 student, admits he was unsure at first.

“I never felt like it was important before. I was skeptical to join,” he shares. “But the girls convinced us because they needed boys to help with the dances. Now I feel like I belong. It’s so cool to do dance practices. It’s a good way to stay active.”

That shift from hesitation to pride reflects the power of youth-led spaces. Dance practices are not just about learning steps. They are about learning commitment, showing up for one another, and growing confidence in their bodies and their identity at the same time.

For the Year 10 girls in the group, the club is also a place of learning and connection.

“My friends in the Kiribati group help me practise my language and dances. It’s important since I’m far away from home. It’s a good way for us youth to keep traditions alive and learn the proper movements.”

Through regular rehearsals, students are not only preparing for performances. They are strengthening friendships, practising language, and holding tightly to their roots together. Staying connected as a group allows them to stand stronger as Kiribati youth in Aotearoa.

Support through the Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa fund enabled the group to create their own traditional costumes, allowing them to perform with authenticity and pride at the Waitākere Pacific Awards and other community events throughout the year. Making and wearing their traditional attire deepened their connection to the movement itself. It strengthened their sense of ownership and pride as they stepped onto stages representing their culture.

The Waitākere Kiribati group shows what happens when youth are trusted to lead. They create belonging. They create space. They create pathways where cultural movement becomes a consistent, visible, and valued part of young people’s lives.

The Le Moana West Collective is proud to support this youth-led kaupapa through the Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa fund, standing alongside young leaders who are ensuring that Kiribati identity in West Auckland is not only preserved, but actively practised, strengthened, and carried forward together.