Palmerston North Boys' High School is sending a kapa haka and Māori cultural group on its first tour of Thailand to immerse itself in overseas culture.
The kapa haka group, made up of 21 students and two teachers, leaves this weekend for the two-week trip. They will perform at schools and look to strengthen relationships between Boys' High and Thai schools.
The school's head of te reo Māori Josh Strickland said he went to Thailand about eight years ago and had spent the past two years planning a return.
"It was a big eye-opener for me. When I came back we thought we need to do a tour and go back over there."
The group will put on about eight performances, will visit primary and secondary schools, and do some sight seeing.
"The whole point of going over there is to immerse themselves with what Thailand is, their traditions and their culture, and be able to come back and just appreciate Aotearoa and what they have."
Students going on the trip have to take a te reo class or a Māori performing arts class.
Sports teams from the school going on overseas tours are common, but this is the first overseas tour for a Boys' High kapa haka group.
"We have a lot of kapa haka groups around New Zealand that go to Europe. But this might be the first tour to Thailand. We don't know."
https://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/113967593/boys-high-kapa-haka-group-to-be-immersed-in-thai-culture