Te Uku School students got to play with fire – but safely – last month when a visiting duo from performing arts group Te Ahi Ora gave lessons of a different kind.
Over two days tutors Liam Smith and James Frick taught everyone from littlies in year one right through to year eights the art of fire performance, which they say is fast becoming a new sport designed “to get kids active and off their (digital) screens”.
The children’s interest was certainly ignited when the Chronicle called by one lunchtime – the whole school chanting “Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire!” while waiting for Liam to fuel up and do his stuff outside on the courts with flaming staffs.
The night before they’d had a go themselves, putting their daytime class-by-class lessons – with staffs but no fire – into practice after dark, flames and all.
“The kids loved it,” said principal Paula Malins, of the performance to which their families were invited. “They got to enjoy experimenting with fire but in a safe way.”
They were taught never to play with fire indoors and to wear only natural fibres like cotton rather than the more flammable synthetic or plastic fabrics when handling flaming staffs, she explained.
While this art form now being delivered to schools all around the country may sound dangerous, it is just as safe as any contemporary sport and in some cases even safer, Te Ahi Ora insists. “We are proud to have a spotless health and safety record.”
The performing arts group has been funded this year for the first time by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage to deliver its programme to 56,000 students across Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and the Waikato, with two tutors assigned to each region.
Raglan Area School was one of the first schools in the Waikato to have Te Ahi Ora come and take sessions. The February visit involved all student levels through to year 10s and was followed up with evening fire performances and lessons for the community.
It’s billed as an exciting discipline which “engages the mind, connects with the body, and is incredibly stimulating”. Each classroom session consists of eight basic moves, three combos and two group games.
By Edith Symes
