It was a night filled with celebration, artistic vision, and an array of colours—but in the end, blue came out on top.
Whānau Arts Challenge 2026 was one filled with passion, energy and pride. Each Whānau was given a week to prepare and polish a piece of their respective discipline, relating to the theme ‘Throwback to Childhood’.
The theme was more than just simple nostalgia; it was a call for all participants to unleash their inner child. In a world where prevalent social norms forbid teens from exhibiting ‘childlike’ behaviour, Whānau Arts Challenge encouraged us to ignite that colourful inner spark. It gave us a night where we could forget about conformity and fitting in, and instead sing along to the songs that brought us joy all those years ago.
Visual Art took us on a journey through imaginative worlds, weaving familiar faces with fresh new ideas. Along the way we stopped to marvel at Mataī’s treehouse, fortified with paper mache and plenty of purple. Boredom was never an issue, but Kauri’s board game provided an entertaining source of recreation. Yet all we had seen so far paled in comparison to the pirate ship approaching from the horizon. Pōhutukawa took us on a journey of their own, presenting a pop-up storybook, containing many tales from their turbulent voyage through life. Thus, the final chapter played out before us, as Pōhutukawa came upon the not-so-buried treasure: the 2026 Visual Arts crown.
Worn out by the journey, we sat down to enjoy the theatrical performances laid out before us. It was a return to form for Drama, a fresh start. In recent years the acting took place behind a screen, but this year, it was brought back out onto the stage. As a result, each Whānau had to get extra creative with how they conveyed the themes of childhood. Nīkau’s retelling of Aladdin boasted excellent humor and impressive visuals, but Mataī’s fusion of nostalgic childhood cartoons won over the hearts of the judging panel, crowning them the winners of this year’s Drama discipline.
Those sore and stiff from sitting down and watching the performances found comfort in Dance, showcasing their skills and expressing themselves through movement. Nīkau delivered high energy, passion and powerful movements. The reigning Dance champions, Mataī, once again wowed with their skills.
Finally, it was time to hear from the bands, who had been working tirelessly over the week. This year’s Band section was an especially competitive discipline, each and every group putting their all into performing. Pōhutukawa’s band chose a fun setlist and clever transitions, while being inclusive of one another and ensuring everybody got equal spotlight. Rimu band was a crowd favourite, and it wasn’t hard to see why. It had the complete package: an epic guitar solo, dancing, and performers who brought energy to the stage; it was clear to see they were having fun—as did the audience, who were ecstatic throughout the entire performance. Could it get any better? Nīkau band had the answer as they stepped into the spotlight: it absolutely could.
Nīkau band was led by four vocal powerhouses, but not once did they clash or try to out-sing one another. Instead, their voices blended with one another to create powerful harmonies and moments that blew the roof off. (Figuratively; it’s a brand new Hall, after all!) One highlight in particular was the bridge of Let It Go, where each member was given a part to sing. Raw power was stored in each line they sang, being released as each member joined with one another to deliver the final chorus. A talented group of instrumentalists and percussionists accompanied them, serving as both the backbone and the final touch needed to cement Nīkau as the winners of 2026 Band.
The atmosphere and performances were all so incredible that we almost forgot about the results! As each discipline winner was revealed, it seemed obvious that the overall victory would go to Mataī – who secured two of the four disciplines.
But while Mataī had secured two of them, it proved no match for the consistency of another Whānau, as one name was read off a sheet of paper…
Nīkau.
The Hall may have been large, but it wasn’t large enough to suppress the screams and cheers echoing across the room. For the fourth time in a row, Nīkau would continue their winning streak as the reigning champions of Whānau Arts Challenge.
This year’s Whānau Arts Challenge truly was a night to remember.
Still, one question remains. Will Nīkau be able to keep up their winning streak? For now, the answer remains unknown. But one thing is for certain: I’ll be signing up for next year’s event, and I hope to see you all there as well.
Braydon Tetupu – Year 11
