Te Ahikaaroa named Waitaha regional kapa haka champions

Ōtautahi-based Te Ahikaaroa has taken out the Waitaha regional kapa haka competition held today at Wolfbrook Arena in Christchurch, claiming a coveted spot at next year’s national competition.

The group was first established in 1993 and have been mainstays at the regional competition.

They impressed from the get-go - from their powerful and moving waiata tira (choral) right to the fun and upbeat whakaeke (entrance) item. An all-round strong, entertaining bracket that saw them place first in six out of seven aggregate items, missing out on mōteatea (traditional chant) to second-place getters, Kōkō Tangiwai – also from Christchurch.

They will be joined at Te Matatini in Ngāruawāhia by Ngā Manu ā Tāne, Rukutia from Otago – the only non-Christchurch qualifying group – and Te Pao a Tahu.

Nineteen groups performed today, opening up five qualifying spots at Te Matatini 2027. The regional competition is the largest in terms of land coverage, spanning from Kaikourā to Bluff.

It’s the first time Te Kairangi o Te Reo (Māori language excellence) has been judged as an aggregate item in this region.

Dunedin-based Rukutia will debut at Te Matatini next year after securing fourth place. Their performance highlighted a shared concern by other groups today around the environment. The group’s mōteatea (traditional chant) spoke of the impact farming has had on the environment.

Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Wheke from Rāpaki, a small settlement on the shores of Whakaraupō (Lyttelton Harbour), also highlighted an environmental issue they are grappling with, that is, the untreated sewage that was discharged into the harbour earlier this year.

Former regional champions Kōkō Tangiwai used their time on stage to pay tribute to a number of key local figures. In their whakawātea (exit) item, they paid homage to Waitaha Cultural Trust chair and Ngāi Tahu matriarch Rānui Ngārimu in the form of a waiata to the tune of a slowed-down version of Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Want To Have Fun.

A group that made for an overall fun and entertaining watch was Te Ahikōmau, the ‘senior’ group to Te Ahikaaroa. They started their performance with a karanga that put their members collective ailments on blast – a relatable moment which drew warm laughter from the audience. Despite the concession, they were regal figures in red and black. Their whakawātea, dedicated to local stalwart Hēmi Te Hēmi who passed earlier this year, included a quintet of nannies-slash-aunties that soothed with their crooning, melodic voices.

Longstanding group Ngā Manu a Tāne will make a return to the national stage after placing third, a fitting result to mark their 20th anniversary in the business.

1 Te Ahikaaroa

2 Kōkō Tangiwai

3 Ngā Manu ā Tāne

4 Rukutia

5 Te Pao a Tahu

1 Te Ahikaaroa

2 Kōkō Tangiwai

3 Ngā Manu ā Tāne

1 Kōkō Tangiwai

2 Te Ahikaaroa

3 Rukutia

1 Te Ahikaaroa

2 Kōkō Tangiwai

3 Ngā Manu ā Tāne

1 Te Ahikaaroa

2 Kōkō Tangiwai

3 Rukutia

1 Te Ahikaaroa

3 eq (4 groups)

- Rukutia

- Te Pao a Tahu

- Kōkō Tangiwai

- Ngā Manu ā Tāne

1 Te Ahikaaroa

2 Kōkō Tangiwai

3 eq (3 groups)

- Rukutia

- Te Ahikōmau

- Ngā Manu ā Tāne

1 Te Ahikaaroa

2 Kōkō Tangiwai

3 Te Pao a Tahu

1 Te Ahikaaroa

2 Kōkō Tangiwai

3 Rukutia

1 Te Ahikaaroa

2 Kōkō Tangiwai

3 Rukutia

1 eq (2 groups)

- Kōkō Tangiwai

- Ngā Manu a Tāne

3 eq (2 groups)

- Te Pao a Tahu

- Te Ahikaaroa

1 Kōkō Tangiwai

2 Te Ahikaaroa

3 Te Kapa Haka o Mataura

1 Kōkō Tangiwai

2 Te Ahikaaroa

3 Rukutia

1 Te Akatoki