“Colours” street parade for 150th this Saturday

Tuesday 12 March 2019 9:49pm

This Saturday's 150th street parade will reflect a long tradition of parades and processions for the University - like this one in 1920. Photo: S19-018d Otago University Students’ Capping Carnival, 1920. Otago Witness, 31 August 1920, p. 28. Hocken Collections - Uare Taoka o Hākena, University of Otago.

A colourful and lively street parade will be held this Saturday – with Otago staff urged to join the fun.

One of a year-long series of events created to celebrate the University's 150th anniversary, the "colours" street parade will honour Otago's proud tradition of parades and processions, while at the same time showcasing what the University is today. The parade will start at the Dental School at 10:30am, moving down George Street to finish in the Octagon.

The wider University community including staff and students will be joining together to share the “colours” of the University with residents and visitors to Dunedin, wearing the colours of their academic regalia, colleges, cultural dress, sporting or club uniforms, or T-shirts organised with colleagues.

The colourful parade will be led by members of the Māori community associated with the University wearing korowai.

Leading the parade wearing korowai will be members of the Māori community associated with the University, reflecting the University’s Memorandum of Understanding with Ngāi Tahu.

More than 25 clubs will be taking part and some will be performing as they march, including those from dancers' and cheerleaders' associations. Each cultural group will be waving their country’s flags and all the colleges will have their own banners. Capping Show cast and alumni will be dressed in costumes, stilt walkers will be in Otago’s colours alongside historic university characters and others in Victorian costume.

At the Octagon there will be an official welcome to the city from mana whenua, the Mayor David Cull, the Chancellor Dr Royden Somerville QC, the Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne and the President of OUSA James Heath.

After the welcome, the Sextet will perform, followed by the band Loose & Colourful. The community is encouraged to ask staff about the meanings of the different colours of the gowns and hoods. Volunteers will have colour charts of the regalia to engage people and there will be an information tent in the middle of the Octagon providing details about 150th anniversary events and other information about the University.

The running order for the parade is: City of Dunedin Pipe Band, National flag and University of Otago flag, mana whenua, University Council and senior staff, University banner and OUSA banner, academics, professional staff, Colleges and Locals programme, school prefects, sports clubs, International clubs and students, Capping Show cast and students, Pacific Islands staff and students performing traditional music.

Regalia hire – get in fast

Requests:
If you are an Academic or Professional staff member of the University of Otago who wishes to hire regalia for the Street Parade, please email academic.dress@otago.ac.nz with your name, the regalia you require and your department. You must do this by the close of business tomorrow, Wednesday 13 March.

Example:
John Smith
Required regalia: Batchelor of Commerce
Department: Marketing Services

Collection:
Regalia can be collected from the Graduate Women Otago Academic Dress Rooms in the North Basement of the Geology Building. The rooms will be open for collection of Academic Dress on Friday 15 March from 1pm to 5pm and Saturday 16 March from 8.30am to 10.15am.

Returns:
Returns can be made at the Town Hall on Saturday 16 (following the parade) from 11.30am to 1.30pm or to the Academic Dress Rooms on Monday 18 March from 11am to 2pm.