The local Kura Kaupapa School in Wairoa has just reopened after it was closed to lessons because of Cyclone Gabrielle.
However, for the past fortnight, the school rooms have been used as emergency housing for some families in need.
On Thursday, seven students along with their kapa haka group were celebrated for their resilience in overcoming the flooding odds and performing at Te Matatini.
It's been a tough two weeks for Wairoa, but a pōwhiri was used in a moment of celebration.
A time to embrace their strength, power and determination. Kapa haka leader and Oranga Tamariki social worker Edward Karauria described it as rewarding.
"The source is our young ones, our babies, our children, younger generation. We can be exemplary to them, we can do anything even though we were part of a cyclone and devastation," Karauria said.
Days after the small town was devastated by Cyclone Gabrielle, the local kapa haka group, mostly flood victims, borrowed a bus and made the much-elongated 13-hour trek to Auckland for Te Matatini.
They took with them a bucket of Wairoa mud to honour where they had come from, which they then rubbed on their legs.
"That was an emotional moment for most of us," Karauria said.
"It just gave us that extra fuel to give us more energy, more emotions to perform our hearts out to the people at home."
Among the 37-strong group, seven students are from the local Kura Kaupapa.
On Thursday, their strength and performance were celebrated at the school which has finally just reopened.
Most students are now back and about 50 remain isolated.
For the past fortnight, the school was emergency housing, home to local families.
It was old-school at times, with water that fell from the roof being used to shower.
"Even inventing the necessary needs of life, like the basic shower and how to use toilets - it almost came to buckets," teacher Haurua Kaukau said.
A horse was even used to pull school student Xavier Tohiahriki Williams to get to his appointments - the east coast way.
And just as they thought they were over the worst of it, more rain and flooding arrived this week.
It was a kick in the guts.
"Our community is still hurting. We still have whānau who are still homeless," Kaukau said.
"It's going to be a little while, but we're still here, we're fighters," Karauria told Newshub.
So with shovels in hand, the people of Wairoa will use their strength to regroup and rebuild.
