With the upcoming midyear exams only a few weeks away, Hillary and Te Kanawa House collaborated to bring back the Mount Taniwha Carnival for 2024. Amidst the anticipation and stress of exams, the carnival provided students with a much-welcomed chance to unwind.
With larger crowds and more energy than ever, the Hillary Commons was filled with crowds of eager attendees waiting at a variety of food stalls serving mouthwatering treats and refreshing drinks, from Aadit’s Curry and sushi to boba. With the diverse range of items, all students were able to make the most of this year’s carnival.
Over at Te Kanawa House, students flooded the commons to watch The Saxxy Men, Glenn Fern and Te Kanawa’s Small House Choir perform several iconic songs such as Fly Me to the Moon, Detective Conan, Dance With You Tonight and many more, adding to the excitement of the carnival. The acts also featured dance duo Selena and Mimi, blowing the crowd away with an energetic dance cover of Shape of You and Ain’t My Fault. Each act was nothing short of a spectacular showcase of virtuosity, leaving attendees not only satisfied by the food but also the high-quality entertainment.
Saxxy Men member Quinn Zhong commented “It took us several rehearsals to get the hang of Super Mario so we’re really glad with how the performance went,” and “We were glad to have been able to bring in some Japanese culture into our performance with Super Mario and Detective Conan.”
The hard work put in by the Hillary and Te Kanawa House Executives was “spread out across both terms”, proving to have paid off with the incredible turnout and smooth operation. As this year’s Mount Taniwha Carnival drew to a close, it left the hundreds of attendees with a day to remember as they indulged in the vibrant atmosphere.
“I feel like it has made both houses closer, the north became more unified” Te Kanawa House Captain Quinn Bevan commented.
Fellow Hillary Cultural Captain Mandy Guo added that the event went “amazingly” and that they were “happy with the results”.
17th May, 2024
Written by Aaron Huang, edited by Emma Li
Photography by Emma Li and Kanishk Soni
