Marist House - Haka Champions

On Friday 11 April, the four houses were put through their paces with an inter-house haka competition.

Marist House had been building up to this event eagerly. Planning had been under way for weeks on how to lead, present and ultimately perform the College haka. Michael Williams, a Year 13 Marist Man, was chosen to lead. Mr Watterson floated presentation ideas with some Year 13 leaders. The final idea was to come into the Ranks Quad in four lines, based around Marist tutor groups. From here, Michael would call for the lines to merge and form an 'M' shape in the Quad. The judges (Mr Mahoney, Mr White, and two outside judges) would be standing on the stairs that are connected to the mathematics classrooms and would have a prime view of the shape formed. Rehearsals went well, with the use of a drum to help the House learn a sense of the timing and the beat involved.

Marist faced a challenge, being made the first house to perform. We had no idea how the other houses were to go, so we had to set a high benchmark. The four columns entered smoothly and relatively quietly. The 'M' was formed effectively. With superb leadership from Michael, Marist House rose to the challenge, performing the haka slowly, powerfully and clearly. The other Houses followed, and the result did seem uncertain.

Eventually, the judges emerged. Mr Mahoney announced 4th place....not Marist. Then he explained that there was a tie for 2nd place. If Marist was not named here, we had won.

Two houses were called....and Marist was not among them. Marist students erupted into cheers and applause. We had done it, and not in a cheap, close way: as Mr Mahoney explained, 3 out of the 4 judges decided that Marist House had performed the best - a near unanimous decision.

Congratulations to Marist House, and special mention to Michael Williams and Mr Watterson for their leadership and ideas.