Bumper weekend of kapa haka as three regional competitions held

In a bumper weekend of kapa haka where three senior regional competition events were held in three different regions, a total of 41 teams performed over the course of three days to qualify for the nationals set to be hosted by Te Kāhui Maunga in New Plymouth.

The Mātaatua regional, followed by Ngāti Kahungunu and Te Tauihu o Te Waka a Māui, kicked off the season of qualifiers that will see haka groups battle it out to represent at Te Matatini 2025.

Kapa haka champions Te Whānau a Apanui will have a chance to defend their national title in 2025 after coming out top in their regional competition over the weekend, beating off strong rivals that included new breakaway group Te Taumata o Apanui.

Te Pāti Māori co-leader and Te Taumata o Apanui kaitātaki tāne Rawiri Waititi said the group only had four weeks of practice leading up to the competition.

"Everybody was on their game. Everybody who knew what the expectation was coming into the weekends and here we are on performance day," he said.

Twenty-two haka groups vied for six spots at the Mātaatua event, one of the most competitive regions in the country for kapa haka.

Ōhinemataroa ki Ruatāhuna, Tauira Mai Tawhiti, Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti, and Te Kapa Haka o Ruatoki will join Te Whānau a Apanui and Te Taumata o Apanui to represent the Mataatua region at Te Matatini 2025.

In their second appearance at the regionals, Te Rangiura o Wairarapa took out the Kahungunu competition with a strong, polished performance, featuring a whakawātea that poked fun at Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka and calling for Māori unity.

Overall, 13 groups took to the stage at Dannevirke's A&P Showgrounds to battle out for one of the four qualifying spots to nationals.

Wairoa-based Te Rerenga Kōtuku made their return to the competition stage after a five-year hiatus. They dedicated their performance to former leader John Barry (JB) Heperi-Smith who died in April last year.

A well-respected leader in the region and a key figure in kapa haka, Heperi-Smith was remembered by many of the groups as part of their performances. Te Rerenga Kōtuku kaitataki tāne Arona Maui paid tribute from the stage: "Ahakoa ngā whakawhiu i runga i a koe, ka maumahara tonu i a koe, ka mau tonu i a koe i te ora kaua i te mate (Despite the burdens that were placed on you, you will be remembered as you were in life not death)."

Te Kapa Haka o Kahungunu and Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Ranginui will join them and Te Rangiura o Wairarapa in Taranaki at the nationals.

Newcomers Te Kuru Marutea qualified for Te Matatini 2025 on debut, beating out veteran group Kia Ngāwari, who are celebrating their 50th anniversary, for the top regional spot at Te Tauihu o Te Waka a Maui competition. The two will represent the top of the South Island at the nationals.

It's a region that's seen a growth in kapa haka numbers over the past five years.

Delegate Tom Alesana said competitive kapa haka teams have doubled and attributes the increase on a new strategic direction set by Te Tauihu o Te Waka a Māui Māori Cultural Council.

"The establishment of kura kaupapa Māori, the higher number of tamariki in Māori medium education, and iwi reo revitalisation have been a large driver of this development," he said.

The region is set to host Ngā Kapa Haka Kura Tuarua, the national competition for secondary school students, later this year.

Mātaatua

1. Te Kapa Haka o Te Whānau a Apanui

2. Ōhinemataroa ki Ruatāhuna

3 = Tauira Mai Tawhiti

3 = Te Taumata o Apanui

5. Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti

6. Te Kapa Haka o Ruatoki

Ngāti Kahungunu

1. Te Rangiura o Wairarapa

2. Te Rerenga Kōtuku

3. Te Kapa Haka o Kahungunu

4. Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Ranginui

Te Tauihu

1. Te Kuru Marutea

2. Kia Ngāwari

Te Arawa and Te Kāhui Maunga regionals are next up on March 8-9.

But if you were planning to attend the latter you're out of luck — Te Kāhui Maunga competition quickly sold out leaving many whānau without tickets.

Glossary

kapa haka – traditional Māori dance

kaitātaki tāne – male leader

kura kaupapa Māori – Māori immersion school

tamariki – children

iwi reo – tribal dialect or language