Over the four days of Polyfest, more than 8,000 high school students will perform, and up to 100,000 spectators will attend.

When Polyfest began in 1976, four schools performed. Its goal was to demonstrate pride in cultural identity and to bring schools and the different cultures within them together. For 20 years it moved between different schools. In 1996, organisers deemed it too big for school grounds, and held it at the Manukau Sports Bowl – where it has been held ever since. This year, 230 groups from 69 schools will perform across six stages. They’ll perform traditional songs and dances from the Cook Islands, Aotearoa, Niue, Sāmoa, and Tonga. The diversity stage will feature Fijian, Tokelau, Chinese, Korean and Indian groups.

The mix of traditional and contemporary fashion in the crowd seems to reflect this year’s theme, me anga whakamuri kia koke whakamua (looking to our past to determine our future). Many of the garments used on stage are custom made by hand, and are paired with practical items for a full day out in the sun at the festival.

Polyfest runs until Saturday March 23, and tickets cost $10 at the gates.

If you can’t go in person you can watch livestreams of the six stages.