The red carpet rolled out for about 40 mokopuna (grandchildren) and tīpuna (grandparents) during the Mokopuna Ball at Hakatere Marae, where the youngsters enjoyed a night of glitz, glamour and music.
It was held on Friday night amidst silver sparkles, gold glitz and shimmering black decorations.
Ball goers danced the night away to dance favourites such as The Bird Dance, The Macarena and Dancing Queen, posed for photographs on the red carpet among decorations, and played games.
They also dined on savouries, popcorn and dainty, decorated cupcakes with fruit punch in gold cups.
Hakatere Marae chair Michelle Brett said it had been nearly 30 years since the marae last held a mokopuna ball.
‘‘We’ve talked about it for a while and wanted to do something special for mokopuna and tīpuna,’’ she said.
‘‘With Mother’s Day on Sunday, it was the right time to hold the ball; a night where they could dress up, enjoy all the glamour of our beautiful, decorated marae, take photos and create special memories,’’ Brett said.
Following photographs on the red carpet, there were prizes for first and second-placed best dancing tīpuna and mokopuna, and best dressed kuia (female elder), koroua (male elder), kōtiro (girl) and tama (boy).
Some people who attended the last ball in 1996 still fondly recalled their own attendance at a mokopuna ball, the excitement of dressing up and spending special time with their grandparents.
Along with the grandparents and grandchildren, others to take to the dance floor last week were Mayor Neil Brown, mayoress Judy Brown and deputy mayor Liz McMillan, who alongside kaumatua Tiipene Phillip, also presented mokopuna with a special certificate to mark their ball attendance.
Meanwhile around the district teenagers are readying for their annual school formals with the Ashburton College ball, also attended by students from Ashburton Christian School is set for June 6, and the Mount Hutt College ball on June 13.
