He waiata mō te kura, hei tautoko i ngā kōrero. This waiata describes the area Fairfield School resides and can be used to support any speeches on behalf of the school including mihi whakatau and pōwhiri.

This waiata-ā-ringa is a well-known waiata, used favourably in the 80s and 90s as a waiata to encourage Māori people, of all iwi, to come together and hold fast to our culture, our language and our traditions.

Today, the addition of this waiata in our learning reiterates the importance of coming together to learn about each other and support the partnership of our country, by valuing the knowledge of both people.

Kereopa Ratapu (from Rongomaiwahine on the East Coast, and now with Ngati Kuia at Nelson) wrote this song while he was training at Palmerston North Teachers College in 1990, to express his feeling about coming back home to his family after serving with the NZ Army in Singapore in the 1980s. When he first composed it, the first line was "E hoki mai ra." This told the audience what the song about - in this case, a homecoming - and he created a tune that caught the energy and excitement of a homecoming. 

Te Pā Harakeke o Whēwhira Tuākana- Otago Polynesian Festival

Te Pā Harakeke o Whēwhira Tuākana- Otago Polynesian Festival

Te Pā Harakeke o Whēwhira Tuākana- Otago Polynesian Festival