The waiata is about giving thanks to god and sung to the tune of "Can You Feel the Love Tonight".
It was the mana of Tauranga Moana that led them there and it was that mana which was showcased on stage, resulting in multiple awards at Te Mana Kuratahi Primary Schools Kapa Haka Nationals.
Te Whānau o Te Maro Hauhake from Tauranga Intermediate won eight awards across the aggregate andnon-aggregate disciplines and topped it off with a second overall placing, but it was placing first with their haka which they were most proud of.
Derived from an emotional moment on Parliament grounds, the haka honoured "Koro" Bobby Rolleston who last year yelled he would not listen to Minister Andrew Little's "bull****".
This came as Tauranga Moana whānau protested for the Crown to recognise Māori tikanga in the treaty settlement process after a mana whenua dispute with Hauraki iwi, tāne leader Tuterangiawhia Tapiata (Ngāti Ranginui) said.
"Koro Bobby was watching us as we did our haka, it was powerful."
Tutor Jack Te Moana (Tuhoe) said it was challenging to do the haka in Waikato, where the nationals were held, as Hauraki iwi is part of Waikato.
"To do it in front of the kingitanga was even more challenging, but we won the haka so we are happy it was received pretty well.
"As a Māori, it is the one time you can voice your opinions on the stage. Whether you are at primary school or senior level, you can voice your frustrations."
The goal was always to get to the top three placings after coming fourth in the national competition in 2015 - this year they planned to come back with vengeance.
Leaders Pureora Timutimu-Pihama and Tuterangiawhio Tapiata from Te Whānau o Te Maro Hauhake cleaned up at the recent primary school kapa haka nationals. Photo / Andrew Warner
The kapa (group) spent 14 weeks practising every weekend and met in the school holidays for a three-day noho to ensure their bracket was clean.
It was in this time where their waiata was born - a song about giving thanks to God to the tune of "Can you feel the love tonight" - which has since gone viral on Facebook with more than 200,000 views.
Wāhine leader Pureora Timutimu-Pihama (Ngāti Awa, Waikato) said it was a humbling experience, but it was also overwhelming to have walked away with so many awards.
"On the inside, I was quite happy when they called our name out, I was so grateful and proud of our team because without them and our whānau we wouldn't have won.
"Haka feels like home, I have always loved doing it and I will always love doing it."
It was the growth of the kapa that blew tutors Edward Te Moana (Tuhoe) and Shirley Kuka (Ngāti Ranginui) away as creating a strong bracket with new students was not an easy task.
All three of the top-placing teams descended from the Mātaatua waka.
Whakatāne primary school Te Kura o te Pāroa took out the top spot and Te Wharekura o Ruatoki placed third overall.
Te Mana Kuratahi Is the name of the National Primary Schools Haka Competition. Groups from around the country who have qualified through their regions compete for the national title. They were among hundreds of tamariki from 62 schools and 17 regions around Aotearoa.
List of full results
Toa Whakaihu
1. Te Kura o Te Pāroa
2. Te Whānau o Te Maro
3. Te Wharekura o Ruatoki
AGGREGATE
Whakaeke 1. Te Whānau o Te Maro 2. Te Kura o Te Pāroa, Te Wharekura o Rakaumangamanga 3. Rotorua Intermediate School, Te Wharekura o Ruatoki
Ngā Mōteatea 1. Te Kura o Te Pāroa, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ruamata, Te Wharekura o Rakaumangamanga 2. Te Kapa Haka o Te Kura o Manutuke 3. Te Parekereke
Waiata-ā-ringa 1. Te Kura o Te Pāroa, Te Wharekura o Mauao – Kura Potiki, Te Kapa Haka o Waikirikiri, Te Rōpū Takawaenga o Rawhiti Roa 2. Te Whānau o Te Maro 3. Te Kapa Puawai
Poi 1. Te Whānau o Te Maro 2. Te Wharekura o Rakaumangamanga 3. Te Kura o Te Pāroa
Haka 1. Te Whānau o Te Maro 2. Ngā Iti Rearea 3. Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Kaokaoroa o Patetere
Whakawātea 1. Te Whānau o Te Maro 2. Te Wharekura o Ngāti Rongomai 3. Te Wharekura o Rakaumangamanga
Te tangi o Te Reo 1. Te Kura o Te Pāroa, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ruamata, Te Wharekura o Rakaumangamanga 2. Te Wharekua o Ngāti Rongomai, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Kaokaoroa o Patetere 3. Te Kura o Te Teko Ngā Taiohi
NON-AGGREGATE
Waiata Tira 1. Te Whānau o Te Maro 2. Te Puawaitanga o Maeroa 3. Te Kura o Te Pāroa
Kākahu 1. Te Whānau o Te Maro, Henderson Intermediate 2. Puawai, Te Wharekura o Rakaumangamanga 3. Ngā Mātapuna o Horahora, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Manawatu
Manukura Wahine 1. Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Waioweka, Te Kura o Te Pāroa 2. Te Whānau o Te Maro, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ruamata, Te Wharekura o Rākaumangamanga 3. Te Ara Whānui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o ngā Kōhanga Reo o Te Awa Kairangi
Manukura Tāne 1. Te Wharekura o Ngāti Rongomai 2. Te Whānau o Te Maro, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Kaokaoroa o Patetere 3. Te Kura o Te Pāroa,
Titonga Hōu 1. Mangatuna 2. Te Wharekura o Ruatoki 3. Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Whānau Tahi
