take note – spoken word competition

take note trophies

The spoken word competition ‘Take Note’ was an event created for high school students to perform poetry that highlighted domestic violence. The event was held on Tuesday the 18th of November in Manukau, Auckland in the Gallery Council Civic Building.

The spoken word competition was an event chosen by the youth themselves using a survey taken at a White Ribbon breakfast in 2013. The competition provided a rare opportunity for the youth to speak up and share their perspectives on family violence.

School students performed pieces of poetry and the top three individuals were awarded trophies.

Take Note was the chosen name for the event, as it urges everyone to look at the problem of family violence in our society and to, take note. So while social worker Diana Vao organised the event it was important that the students played a central role said Diana as “the youth are going to be the new leaders of our society.”

“The youth of New Zealand are usually only seen, not heard” Diana said. And through this competition they were able to share what she thought was a “simplistic way of looking at the problem of family violence, and how to deal with it.”

Every contestant was a strong believer in standing up to family violence, and talking about this problem in a way that did not stigmatize anyone. The students faced the problem head-on; discussing subjects that they feel are usually ignored by the older generations.

“The students brought a freshness,” said Diana, “and a sense of innocence to the subject of family violence.”

There was an undeniable urgency behind the words and the competition introduced an innovative way of talking about family violence. There are already plans to run the event again in 2015.

And the winners were:

1. KATRIANA TAUFALELE : “BEHIND CLOSED DOORS”
2. FAGA TUIGAMALA: ” WINDOWS AND CURTAINS”
3. PAULINA TAPUAI-SOTI “STOP”

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