Te Ahikaaroa are from the Waitaha rohe and affiliate to Te Rāpaki o Rakiwha marae. Established in 1993, the group’s kaupapa values the health, well-being and growth of their whānau through sharing their collective knowledge, values and kōrero with communities and whānau.
Click here to view their performance.
Their key aim and aspiration are summed up in their whakataukī, “muramura te ahi, ko Te Ahikaaroa herenga ki te whenua, ko Te Ahikōmau hononga whakapapa” (the fire burns bright, Te Ahikaaroa symbolises the ties to the land, Te Ahikōmau symbolises whakapapa connections).
The group originally started in Ōtautahi to cater to past students of Māori boarding schools who had strong connections to Ngāi Tahu and Ngāti Porou. Over the years the group has expanded to now include a junior competitive group called Te Ahikaaroa Mātātahi, a senior competitive group called Te Ahikōmau a Hamoterangi, two childhood centres called Nōku Te Ao and Nōku Te Ao ki Te Pā and a wānanga called Te Pā o Rākaihautū.
The groups colours are black, cloudy white, red, orange and greenstone symbolising the night, volcanoes, smouldering fire, long burning of fires through occupation and Te Waipounamu itself respectively.
The group’s kākahu draw inspiration from the environment. Their pari and tātua designs are inspired by the types of wood typically used for fire in ancient times because it was believed that fire existed inside the wood. This also serves as a reference to the metaphorical fire contained within each person individually.
The panekoti with tātua represent the various maunga the group has whakakapapa to: Hikurangi, Aoraki, Mauao, Rakirua, Rakiroa, and Rarakiroa.
The group’s manukura tāne is Tauira Takurua and Keriana Kahukiwa with group’s leaders consisting of Rangimarie Parata-Takura and Tauira Takurua.
You can catch their full performance here.
Individual items
Waiata Tira (choral) Āe Rā, E Te Atua
Whakaeke (entrance) Te Huika o Mataoho
Mōteatea (traditional chant) Te Kawa Whakatika
Waiata ā-ringa (action song) Kauhau Mua
Poi He Kura Takihia
Haka Arero Okaoka
Whakawātea (exit) Nei Tōku Reo
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