NZCT’s $15k Grant Helps Hundreds of Rangatahi Stand Tall

New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT) has awarded a $15k grant to the TuTagata Secondary Poly Festival in Wellington city, helping cover venue hire and audiovisual costs for the 800-plus rangatahi event, keeping the festival accessible to schools across the Wellington region.

Founded in 1978, TuTagata (‘Stand Tall’) brings together Wellington secondary school students each year to celebrate Pacific heritage, language, and identity through performance, while helping build confidence and leadership skills.

TuTagata Komiti secretary Halina McDonald says, “TuTagata helps raise Pasifika student achievement by strengthening academic engagement through participation in school Pacific performance groups, culminating in the celebration and preservation of Pacific heritage, language, identity, and culture.

“Equitable educational outcomes for Pacific learners remain an enduring challenge. TuTagata addresses this gap from a position of cultural strength, using performance as a pathway into confidence, leadership, and formal achievement.”

The volunteer TuTagata Komiti supports schools through a six-month preparation and performance journey, with a leadership programme facilitated by Empower Pacific helping develop the next generation of Pacific leaders, artists, and cultural custodians.

A Year 13 rangatahi participant says, “I feel alive! I feel seen. I get to show who I am when I am on stage.”

Michelle Hayward, TuTagata support personnel says, “The message we hear most often from rangatahi is that TuTagata gives them a place where they feel they belong. Students talk about feeling proud of their culture, building confidence, making connections across year levels, and developing leadership skills that extend well beyond the festival itself.”

A Year 10 rangatahi participant says, “It's more than a performance… it's deeper than that.”

NZCT General Manager of Grants, Marketing and Communications Ben Hodges says, “We’re proud to support a kaupapa that has been empowering young Pasifika for generations. NZCT can fund this community good thanks to the fundraising partnerships we share with local hospitality venues via their responsible gaming rooms.”