What started as a one-night-cultural showcase for seven local schools has grown into one of the Hutt Valley's biggest celebrations of Pacific and Māori culture.
Founded in 2012 by Koraunui School teacher Luana Leulua'i, HuttFest was created to give young people a platform to proudly share their culture, without the pressures of competition.
Hundreds of students formed 87 groups that took to the stage at Lower Hutt's Walter Nash Centre over five days - continuing Luana's vision of celebrating identity, community and belonging through performance.
For many of the young people taking part, HuttFest is all about taking the chance to connect with their culture and share it with others.
Festival director Vaito Eleni shared how the festival gives students a space where culture, participation and identity can thrive.
"What we're finding with the stage itself is that it's about enjoyment, it is about participation, and it's also about our own kids as they grow older into college life itself, they are grabbing onto the identity if they haven't already, and they're enjoying it, that's what the stage is about."
HuttFest includes students from ECE through to college levels.
Tyanah Mai-Hetutu Bahm and Mya Taulelei from Rātā Street School were nervous to perform, but proud to celebrate their heritage.
"HuttFest to me is celebrating all cultures and like including every culture in New Zealand and everywhere in the earth," Tyanah said.
"My favorite thing at HuttFest is to learn about the cultures and support perform them, and to get to know everyone," Mya added.
Mya Taulelei, Tyanah Mai-Hetutu Bahm, Poseidon Nicholls and Eli Phillips from Rātā Street School.
For their peers Eli Phillips and Poseidon Nicholls, it is about simply enjoying the experience.
"Huttfest means everything to me. HuttFest is like about just getting up there, performing and representing people's culture."
Poseidon agreed, "that's exactly what I was gonna say! Representing cultures, just getting there, have fun, put a smile on, and just show everyone what culture you are."
And St Claudine Thevenet's Sela-Rai Fialogo Laumalili said she danced in honour of all who came before her.
"You're not only representing yourself, you're representing your ancestry, your history, and your family."
For St Claudine Thevenet's Fofogalealataua Gauta Fa'amao, it was a privilege to include non-Pasifika classmates in their performance.
"Not only you can only do your culture, but you can only do always do other cultures as well, because you know our Pasifika cultures are always welcome to express everyone else."
Irae Uili of St Orans College learned more about her classmates ethnic backgrounds through HuttFest.
"I think it brings something we can learn from all cultures, opportunity to learn and experience what they showcase to the world, so I think it's really cool we get the opportunity to get to experience all different cultures."
