Te Pikikōtuku take top spot in hotly-contested Te Arawa kapa haka comp

Rotoiti’s Te Pikikōtuku o Rongomai are newly-crowned champions of one of the most hotly-contested regional competitions held at Te Kaitao o Rangipare, Rotorua International Stadium.

Ten thousand tickets were sold to the two-day Te Arawa Regional Kapa Haka event that saw a staggering 27 groups take to the stage. This resulted in the creation of six qualifying spots to Te Matatini 2027 at Hopuhopu.

Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai put in a well-polished performance that saw them place first-equal in many of the aggregate categories. Their outright win of the non-aggregate waiata tira (choral item) was made all the more poignant for its tribute to one of their prominent kaihaka (performer) Matene Simon, who died suddenly last year.

The top two kapa haka in the country - current Te Matatini champions Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue and national runners-up Ngāti Rangiwewehi - have both made it through to another tilt at Te Matatini 2027, placing second and fourth respectively.

Te Hekenga ā Rangi (3), newcomers Te Whare Haka o Te Puku (5), and Te Kapa Haka o Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao make up the remaining groups heading to the nationals to represent Te Arawa.

Ngāti Rangiwewehi Pakeke opened today’s competition with some of their iconic performers – including Howard Morrison Jnr, Donna Morrison, and the country’s longest-serving councillor, Trevor Maxwell – performing some of their greatest hits. A heartwarming start for any kapa haka fan.

The region is renowned for their weaponry use and groups brought those skills alive on stage. Te Pikikōtuku o Rongomai men alone used three different weapons – tewhatewha, patu and taiaha – in their haka.

Stand-out singing goes to second-place getters at Te Matatini 2025, Ngāti Rangiwewehi. Their waiata tira (choral item) was a dynamic showcase of harmonies, levels and arrangement. Coupled with the overall beauty, grace and intensity of their performance, they made their mark as a formidable force to be reckoned with.

As is tikanga and tradition, groups paid homage to loved ones who had passed recently. Rotoiti-based group Te Hikuwai’s waiata-ā-ringa was a heartfelt tribute to Te Pikikōtuku o Rongomai’s Matene Simon whose unexpected death rippled across the kapa haka world.

Te Ahi Tipua o Tūwharetoa paid homage to their late ariki, Tā Tumu Te Heuheu, in their performance, as well as honoured his son and successor, Te Ariki Te Rangimaheu Te Heuheu, who was in attendance today.

Many groups also acknowledged the recent death of Te Whānau a Apanui stalwart and longtime tutor Hone Wharepapa who was laid to rest on Friday.

Debutantes Te Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe impressed in their first outing. The group’s performance was reminiscent of former champion kapa haka Te Mātārae i Ōrehu. With the influence of legendary haka exponent Wetini Mitai-Ngātai and his son, Te Pō as leader, fans would have referenced the quick beat start of the poi and the weaponry prowess on display during the whakawātea.

Fellow first-timers, Te Whare Haka o Te Puku, dedicated their performance to the Kura Kaupapa Māori movement of which their kaihaka are all raukura (alumni). Their performance resonated with judges as they qualified as one of the six groups to represent Te Arawa at the nationals in Hopuhopu at their first attempt.

Reigning Te Matatini champions Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue wrapped up the day with a masterclass on how to put on an entertaining performance. From start to finish, the group's effortless bracket was captivating and fun, and featured their popular ‘He Kōnui’ waiata-ā-ringa (action song) from Te Matatini 2025.

1 Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai

2 Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue

3 Te Hekenga ā Rangi

4 Ngāti Rangiwewehi

5 Te Whare Haka o Te Puku

6 Te Kapa Haka o Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao

1eq (2 groups)

-Te Hekenga a Rangi

-Ngāti Whakaue

3eq (2 groups)

-Te Pikikotuku o Ngāti Rongomai

-Te Whare Haka o Te Puku

1eq (6 groups)

-Te Pikikōtuku o Rongomai

-Ngāti Rnagiwewehi

-Te Hekenga a Rangi

-Te Kapa o Ngāti Tarāwhai

-Te Whare Haka o Te Puku

-Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue

1eq (3 groups)

-Te Pikikōtuku o Rongomai

-Te Kapa Haka o Tūhourangi Ngāti Wahiao

-Te Whare Haka o Te Puku

1 Ngāti Rangiwewehi

2eq (2 groups)

-Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai

-Te Hekenga ā Rangi

1eq (2 groups)

-Ngāti Rangiwewehi

-Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue

3 Te Whare Haka o Te Puku

1eq (5 groups)

-Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai

-Ngāti Rangiwewehi

-Te Hekenga ā Rangi

-Te Kapa Haka o Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao

-Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue

1eq (5 groups)

-Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai

-Te Kapa o Ngāti Tarāwhai

-Te Hekenga ā Rangi

-Te Whare Haka o Te Puku

-Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue

Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai

1 Te Rotorua-nui a Kahumatamomoe

2 eq (3 groups)

-Te Whare Haka o Te Puku

-Te Hekenga ā Rangi

-Ngāti Rangiwewehi

1 Te Kapa o Ngāti Tarāwhai

1 eq (2 groups)

-Te Rotorua-nui a Kahumatamomoe

-Te Hikuwai

Kaitātaki Wahine

1 eq (4 groups)

-Ngāti Rangiwewehi

-Te Hekenga ā Rangi

-Te Kapa Haka o Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao

-Te Whare Haka o Te Puku