For the first time in its 46-year history, the world's biggest Māori and Pasifika festival has kicked off without a crowd - and with many performers unable to attend due to Covid.
The four-day Polyfest in Auckland usually attracts about 90,000 people, but no spectators are permitted due to the current restrictions.
Performances are instead being live streamed, and only judges will be present in person.
Despite the Government announcing that limits on outdoor events would be removed from Saturday, festival director Seiuli Terri-Leo Mauu said Polyfest would stay online.
The four-day Auckland event usually attracts about 90,000 people. (Source: 1News)
"It's fantastic news, really cool, but for us it won't change our plans - we still are keeping the safety of our students paramount in our delivery."
Terri-Leo Mauu said there were also many students who had to pull out of performing due to Covid.
"We're not at our normal numbers. We've got about 55-strong groups that are coming in for the next four days from 26 schools. Usually we have 75 schools.
"But we respect those that have made the choice not to come, and we totally respect those who are coming and taking to the stage this week."
Schools like St Cuthbert's College have down-sized from 12 groups to just one.
READ MORE: Pasifika Festival cancelled again; Polyfest goes digital
The secondary school event is being held until Saturday. It sees students compete in speech, song and dance categories on a number of stages, including Māori, Cook Islands, and Samoan.
Over the past few years Polyfest has found itself cancelled, postponed, or shortened because of Covid-19 outbreaks, and in 2019, the Christchurch terror attack.
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