Author Angie Belcher relaunches kapa haka book

Author Angie Belcher reading The Girls from the Kapa Haka to children at Te Puke'sLearning Adventures. Engrossed are Jackson Mounsey and Keira Cheetham.

Originally published in 2006 The Girls in the Kapa Haka by local writers Angie Belcher and Debbie Tipuna, has been reissued for a new generation of performers.

The book, a long-time favourite with play centres and primary schools, follows the making and wearing of the piupiu.

It was inspired by Maketū Kuia, Googie Tapsell, who often had flax hanging outside to dry and could be found making and demonstrating the construction of piupiu at what was originally Kiwi 360.

A former teacher at Maketū Primary School it seemed only natural for Angie to draw inspiration from the school's kapa haka group and performances at Whakaue Marae.

Maungatapu-based illustrator Debbie Tipuna used her experiences as a student at Waiariki Polytechnic to create the illustrations. It was there she developed a love of Māori arts.

She has continued to use this passion and skill in more recent publications such as Ko Mauao te Maunga written by Tauranga writer Debbie McCauley, and recently selected as a finalist in the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.

Unlike the original edition, the book uses correct tohutō (macrons) to mark long vowels and help those new to te reo to pronounce words correctly.

The launch of the revamped edition will be taking place at Pāpāmoa Library today at 1.30pm and will include a performance by students from Fairhaven School's Māori Immersion Unit Toitoi Manawa and a session on poi making.