Muriwhenua are first cab off the rank on day one of Te Matatini.
Established in 2009, the group hails from Muriwhenua in Te Tai Tokerau with iwi affiliations to Ngāti Kuri, Te Aupouri, Ngāi Takoto, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Kahu and their associated hapū and marae.
Their kaupapa is all about being Muriwhenua. In their own words “Muriwhenua tupuna, Muriwhenua wānanga, Muriwhenua tāngata” [Muriwhenua ancestors, Muriwhenua traditional knowledge, Muriwhenua peoples].
The kapa’s kākāhu colours are pango (black), whero (red) and mā (white).
The kapa say their kākahu design and theme centre around the five constituent iwi that make up the kapa and the whenua they come from.
“Ko tō mātou tohu hei whakaatu i ngā kōrero mō ngā iwi e rima o Muriwhenua – Ngāti Kuri, Te Aupouri, Ngai Takoto, Te Rarawa me Ngāti Kahu.
“Ka kōrero anō hoki mō a mātou whenua, ara, ko Te Oneroa a Tohe, ko Te Ara Wairua me Te Rerenga Wairua otirā ko a mātou mātua tūpuna hoki.”
Their manukura tāne and manukura wahine are Rawiri Pihama and Tia Waitai-Henare respectively, and the kapa as a whole are led by Chris and Sandra Henare, Samantha Waitai–Terekia, Thomas Strickland, Daniel Waitai, and Hera Waitai.
You can catch their full performance here.
Individual items
Waiata Tira (choral) Te Ao Mārama
Whakaeke (entrance) Ngā Kao o Te Whenua
Mōteatea (traditional chant) Te Ara tipi haere a Rāninikura
Waiata ā-ringa (action song) Te Kura a Tangaroa
Poi Te Tauwhāinga a Muriwhenua
Haka He Ira Tāne Taitea
Whakawātea (exit) Ngā Rahi o Te Tai Whakararo
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