FUNKY MUSIC MUSIC LIFTS Captions by Philip McKibbin. Edited by Desney Shaw. www.able.co.nz Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2016 BUSY MUSIC You might look at me and think I'm just another foreign exchange student, that I'm only interested in studying and spending time with my friends from my own culture. Oh, yo! What up? What up? Well, you'd be very wrong. My name is Dongjun Lee, but you can call me DJ or Lee. I am 16, and I'm a student at Auckland Grammar School. I'm a Kiwi Korean and a Samoan dancer. FUNKY MUSIC BOYS SING IN SAMOAN I joined my school Samoan dance group a year ago to meet new people and because I love dancing. I'm alone here. My parents sent me away from Korea when I was 8 years old, but I don't resent my parents, because they're just trying to create the best future for me. In the Samoan group, I feel like I belong, like I'm part of a family. (SPEAKS SAMOAN) BOYS CLAP, CHANT The first sign-up that I went to was at a lunchtime, and I was so scared to go into the room as well, because I expected, you know, when I first walked into the room, you know, shocked face, but I walked in, everyone was, like, cheering, and, like, clapping, and, like, 'Whoo!' You know? It's like, 'Asian in our Samoan group now,' you know? One minute. Take off your T-shirts. Quick. When they first asked us to take our top off, I was like... (WHIMPERS) You know? I was only, like, top off, but I felt like I was, like, fully naked on, like, school grounds. I was like, 'Oh my God.' You're in the group, you know? You're part of the group. Yeah, we look different and stuff, but once I took my shirt off, it was just, like` we were one, as a whole group. ALL CHANT FUNKY MUSIC In Korea, it's not normal to get interested in other cultures. We usually focus more in our own family, which is why some of my friends think I'm nuts. BOTH SPEAK KOREAN My parents, though, have encouraged me to make the most of my time in NZ, as long as I keep doing my studies. (SPEAKS KOREAN) FUNKY MUSIC My father would like me to be a leader, and it's important to make my father proud. So I made a big decision that I'm gonna try out for the conductor for my Samoan dance group. You're leading your Samoan group ` like, 40 boys ` so you need to get the beat right, you need to say the lyrics right. So, yeah, I really want that. My tutor's name is Tafavle, and I think he'll be kinda surprised that a non-Samoan to actually trial for the fuataimi role. Oh, OK. How serious are you about this? Um, it's pretty serious to me and pretty important as well. OK, can we have a sit-down and discuss it over? Yeah. Would you have any worries being conductor or the leader of the group? What I'm worried about is, like, the point of view of the audience, cos I want them to see me as an Auckland Grammar fuataimi leader, but I don't want them to see me as a non-Samoan leading the Auckland Grammar group, if you` if you know what I mean. OK, so you're more worried about the audience than the roles and responsibilities it takes to be the leader of the group? Well... I really wanna get to the core why you have so much passion for it. Well, you guys will, like, care about each family, so much different to my culture,... Yeah. ...and may be some way that our culture should learn from your culture. OK, so there's a few Samoan values I just wanna tell you. The most important one is respect, I think I'll, um, try to understand the culture more so I can actually lead the group better. It actually motivates me more to know more about the Samoan culture. Yeah. OK, so what you need to do is prove that you have the determination and willpower to lead the group. You, firstly, being non-Samoan is... it's difficult, so me and the other tutors will decide who is the` who we think is the best to lead the group. BEEP! So, after talking to Tafavle, I feel like there is so much more responsibility of being the conductor and the fuataimi. The tutors want to see, like, who actually put in the most effort and is really passionate about the group and have the ability to lead the group. I do really really want the role, so I will be practising really hard during the week. FUNKY MUSIC Boys! Listen! Hey, hey, to the front. To the front, eh? Huh? It's only a week away for me to try out for the leadership role for my Samoan cultural group. ALL PERFORM FA'ATAUPATI I'm nervous, but I'm so excited as well to show the tutors what I have got and my passion towards the Samoan Cultural Group. ALL SHOUT I still feel like I have so much more to learn. I'm reaching out for help, so I'm meeting this guy who is an expert in traditional dance. BEEP! UPBEAT MUSIC Hi! My name's Dongjun. Yeah, my English name is DJ. DJ? DJ, yeah. Nice to meet you, DJ. I'm Saupi. Saupi? Hi, Saupi, how you doing? Please to meet you, my man. I'm... So I have this trial next Saturday. Is there any tips that you can give me for it, like? Show me that slap that you, um, have been learning. It's not really a slap dance, but this... Yeah. No, no. No. So, like, it starts with a jump. So it goes like jump, jump, kick, kick, jump, jump, kick, and I go, one, two, huh! One two, huh! Huh! Huh! One, two, three, four! And then we go` we say our school's name ` 'A-G-S!' Wow. Wow. Yeah. So how did that look so far? Um... Slap dance you can freestyle it. You just run in there, pretend like there's flies everywhere or mosquitoes everywhere, and you start slapping, slapping everywhere. You can slap it twice. That's the one. That's the one. Oh, OK, OK, OK. OK. Yeah, so you just go sideways. That's the one! (LAUGHS) Oh, OK! Oh, OK! That really traditional way of doing it! That's the real traditional way, man, eh? OK, OK, OK. So you are the warrior. So you're leading your team to a war. So, basically, you can tell them whatever you want. You can tulolo. You can always tell them they can stand up. I'm serious. You can tell them to stand up,... Oh, can you? Can you? ...tell them to copy what you're doing. I reckon you just run in there, go, 'Talofa!' Like that. And then, when they say talofa, you just turn around, like, 'Yeah, whatever.' That sort of thing. How would, like, the audience and, like, other people who see me that, like, imagining a Korean... Korean guy leading the Samoan group? To be honest with you, man, be you. Come up with something and make them laugh. You feel me? BOTH LAUGH This guy. This guy! (LAUGHS) BEEP! I actually got some really good informations about, like, how I should, like, react and how I can be a better conductor. So Saturday trial's gonna be really hard, but still, I'm just gonna be` try to be the best conductor, best leader as I can and give it the best shot that I can do. BEEP! UPBEAT MUSIC Today's the day that my Samoan tutors will, um, choose the fuataimi, and I'm really excited. I think I have the capability, but there are still other potential ones, such as William. He` He's a Samoan. So he's one of the competitive ones that I'm, like, really worried about. OK, boys. Trying to look for the front line man that will represent the whole group. Bro, remember, you're not only representing yourself, but you're representing Auckland Grammar as well ` the whole school, all 2000-plus students here. All the very best. (SPEAKS SAMOAN) ALL CLAP, CHANT First up will be Viliamu. Let's go, Viliamu! BANGING ALL CHANT, CLAP BOYS SING, CLAP TAFAVLE SPEAKS SAMOAN, BOYS CLAP OK, next up, let's go, Lee! BOYS CLAP Patia! (BOYS CLAP) Patia! (BOYS CLAP) Lua pati. (BOYS CLAP TWICE) Lua pati. (BOYS CLAP TWICE) Hey, hey! (BOYS: Ho!) Hey, hey! (BOYS: Ho!) Lion! (ALL ROAR) Snake! (ALL HISS) (CHANTS) (ALL CLAP) (SINGS IN SAMOAN) BOYS SING SINGING LIFTS OK, stay there. Relax. I've gotta talk with the tutors, and we'll decide who will be our fuataimi for this year. BOYS CHATTER Sweet as. Yeah. We'll see. BOYS CONTINUE CHATTERING (SPEAKS SAMOAN) Oi! Cross the legs, boys! Shh! > Yeah. Sit up. Sit up. We wish we could choose two. Unfortunately, we can only pick one. The person we've chosen to lead our group for this year, 2016, is (LAUGHS) Lee. BOYS CHEER BEEP! (LAUGHS) (BREATHES LOUDLY) This... (SNAPS FINGERS) OK. So I just got the role for the conductor of my group. Like, what? Like... It's just so amazing, you know, to actually represent my group, my school for actually` for a Korean boy, you know? (LAUGHS) I'm really proud of myself that` I'm actually really, like, proud to be actually in the Samoan group, and I'm` I'm even more proud now that I'm actually leader of the Samoan group. Ziggy, ziggy, ziggy! (BOYS: Oi! Oi! Oi!) Ziggy, ziggy, ziggy! Oi! Oi! Oi! Ziggy! Oi! Ziggy! Oi! Ziggy, ziggy, ziggy! Oi! Oi! Oi! ALL CHANT, CHEER FUNKY MUSIC So Viliamu invited me for a family dinner over. I got the conducting role, but Viliamu didn't. So hopefully they... won't hate me. (LAUGHS) Hi, mum. This is my friend DJ. Heya. Oh! So this is the fuataimi? ALL LAUGH Have a seat, uh, DJ. Yeah, all right, cool. Have a seat. Nice meeting you. Thank you. Yeah, I was quite upset. When I came to pick him up and I saw, and I said to Viliamu, 'What's that Asian boy doing fuataimi?' (LAUGHS) I was expecting a Samoan. What makes you wanna learn the` our culture, Samoan culture? The Samoan culture feels like family, you know? Like, you guys are just so happy and, you know, funny all the time, you know? You guys don't really depend on technology, but then how Koreans, like, fully dependent on technology, that, like, without technology` Do you think we're behind? (ALL LAUGH) No, no, no. No, no, no. It's that` It's that we` we need technology to talk to, like, neighbours. Really? You know? Like, 'How you doing?' So it's, like, quite different to your culture. Like, yeah, it's just` it's just the way that the Samoan culture is that I want to bring into my culture. So, Viliamu, what do you think about, uh, DJ being chosen as your fuataimi? I really wanted the role. I didn't expect him to get it, but, you know? He's done a really good job with fuataimi,... Oh! That's good. ...and, like, he's got all the` all the boys hyped up, and, uh, yeah, I just can't wait till the actual day, cos it'll really give, like, a shocker to the other schools, having, like, a unique fuataimi. Maybe I wasn't happy on the day that I saw you fuataimi, because I was expecting a Samoan boy doing it, but now I'm thinking about it, and I would like to see other different countries or students like you, uh, doing that role, and that's really nice. Good on you. (LAUGHS) ALL CHATTER BEEP! Um, I've never done anything like that before. You know, it` it almost reminds me of being home. You know, I haven't ever felt like that since I was back with my own family. Now I feel more pressure of becoming a great fuataimi, but I'm gonna put more effort into it to go up on the stage and make everyone who believes in me proud. BEEP! My first big challenge as fuataimi has arrived. My school will be competing at Polyfest, the biggest Polynesian secondary school festival in the world. There will be about 20,000 people. As preparation, I've been asked to meet with community elders to gain their blessing before the performance. Meeting the elders is a big deal for me. BEEP! BANGING So this is DJ, everyone. Hello. Hello. Yeah. Sit down, brother. DJ is gonna be, um, fuataimi for, uh,... Auckland Grammar. So yeah. I'd like to dedicate this kava drink to DJ. You have been called upon to represent not only Samoa, but you represent your family, so, you know, that's a huge honour, and not many people can do it. You, brother, are the chosen one for your school. For this time in this age, you have been chosen. So that's a huge honour, and today you are part of our family. Manuia. MAN: Manuia. Soifua. MAN CALLS IN SAMOAN Uh, first I wanna thank` thank God... Nice. Malo. > ...for giving me this opportunity and inviting me to, you know, this great environment, and, um, give, um, acknowledge to the four fa'aali'i here, and I wanna acknowledge the community. Yeah, so... manuia. MEN: Soifua. Malo. Malo. (SPEAKS SAMOAN) And all the best. CLAPPING (SIGHS) I'm beginning to feel the sense of belonging in the Samoan culture, but at the same time, I realise the fuataimi needs a signature style. I'm wondering if I can enhance what I've learnt about the Samoan culture by adding the Korean cheekiness into the performance. So I'm going back to see Saupi for more coaching. Thank you so much for last time, you helping me out, but I think, like, I need a bit of more help. Our Polyfest performance is next week, so I really wanna represent my school pretty well, but, like, you know, I'm not too sure, like, what my style really is. Show me what you got, my man. All right, sweet. So, um... (SINGS IN SAMOAN) Sole! Um, is there any Korean moves that you're gonna bring in in your performance? I know it's really popular, but then, like, Gangnam Style was, like, one of the,... Yeah. ...like, really popular songs that, you know? And I can be like... (SINGS) You know? What if it's a good idea, you know? (LAUGHS) I reckon I like the one that you turn around. Oh, eh? That` Yeah. Turn around, no? Yeah. And then do, like, a little Korean cheeky move, you know, for the crowd to, you know, kind of, like, 'Ooh!' You know? (SINGS) That's way different, eh? Yeah! Make sure you shake it, man. That's the whole point. Yeah, OK. (SINGS) You got it! Got it! BOTH LAUGH Thank you! FUNKY MUSIC MUSIC LIFTS This is it. Today is the day. I've been working towards this for so long and putting so much effort into it. I'm not sure how the audience is gonna take me on the stage at being Korean, but I'm just gonna perform all I have got. I'm just gonna own the stage today. TAFAVLE: OK, listen. We've taught you everything we could. Now it's up to you guys, OK? And, Lee! Own it, eh? WHISPERS: That's gansta. DRUMS BEAT AUDIENCE CHEERS PA: Next performance by Auckland Boys Grammar School! GROUP CHANTS PRESENTER SPEAKS SAMOAN DJ Lee. TEACHERS PLAY, BOYS SING AUDIENCE WHISTLES, CHEERS AUDIENCE CHEERS Auckland Grammar School! AUDIENCE CHEERS First off, congratulations, mate. It's all done. Well done. I'm really proud of you. You could see` tell by the reaction of the crowd. They all loved it today, so well done. When I first started tutoring you, you were really shy, um... Yeah, shy and innocent, but, yeah, different story now. (LAUGHS) It's amazing what one year does. So, uh, what did you think about me doing, like, a bit of, um, Korean, um, style in there, you know, like Gangnam Style and stuff? Well, like I said, before, eh, you own it. Own it. Make it your own. And, um, I'm so happy you added your own style and flavour to it and just blossomed today. Just to be honest, I wouldn't have anyone else but you. Yeah, man. So proud of you. Congratulations. Finally over! All the best, bro. Thank you very much. Thank you. UPBEAT MUSIC I started in this group for friendship and dance, but I ended up with so much more. I've gained acceptance into Samoan community and family. and even allowed me to bring my own unique style to their culture. I think we can all learn from their welcoming attitude, especially my own culture. This experience will give me strength as I move into my future, and I'll always be fa'asamoa. Manuia. Captions by Philip McKibbin. Edited by Desney Shaw. www.able.co.nz Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2016