Te Matatini will go ahead in 2023, after being postponed twice due to the ongoing impacts of Covid-19.
The national kapa haka event will be at Auckland’s Ngā Ana Wai/Eden Park from February 21 until Te Matangirua (finals day) on Saturday, February 25.
Te Matatini had been postponed twice due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Organisers chose to plan for a 2023 event following the Government’s announcement to remove all outdoor event gathering limits from Friday 25 March of this year.
“We’d like to acknowledge and thank our kapa haka community, sponsors, strategic partners, hau kāinga and all those involved in organising the festival, who continue to work hard to stage a world-class event in 2023,” Te Matatini chair Selwyn Parata said.
READ MORE: ‘It’s the soundtrack of my life’ - Te Matatini celebrates 50 years
It comes as Te Matatini is celebrating 50 years of competition in 2022.
The event began in 1972 as a celebration of Māori and Pasifika performing arts, formerly known as The New Zealand Polynesian Cultural Festival.
To mark the 50th anniversary, Te Matatini is releasing a special album in 2022 with the most iconic songs from the festival.
A web series and a book are also being released.
SHARE ME