Five teams in 2017 Te Matatini Kapa Haka Festival

More than half a century after it last performed, East Coast team Te Pariha o Hikurangi reformed for this year’s Tamararo regionals, where it earned a place in the 2017 Te Matatini Kapa Haka Festival, in Hastings. File picture

HAWKE’S Bay Regional Council has agreed to help fund next year’s Te Matatini Kapa Haka Festival, which is expected to draw hundreds and possibly thousands of performers and spectators from Gisborne.

HBRC has approved a grant of $200,000 to Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated to help in its preparation for the national kapa haka festival, to be held at Sport Park Hawke’s Bay from February 22-26.

Around 30,000 people from New Zealand and overseas are expected to descend on the region for the event, which is expected to have a spin-off for Gisborne as visitors extend their trip up the East Coast.

Central to it all will be the around 48 kapa haka teams, five of which will be from te Tairawhiti.

The Gisborne-East Coast teams earned their places at the Karaitiana Tamararo Tai Rawhiti Senior Kapa Haka Regionals event in April, where the qualifying points were fiercely contested.

In the end, the Whangara Mai Tawhiti team successfully defended its top spot, while seasoned performers Waihirere Maori Club took second place, its inclusion making it the only group to have performed at every national kapa haka contest since its inception.

Manutuke’s Tu Te Manawa Maurea came in at fourth place while 2014 champions, Te Aitanga a Hauiti ki Uawa, also earned a slot at Te Matatini 2017.

A 50-year hiatusBut it was third-place getters Te Pariha o Hikurangi which, having been in a hiatus for half a century, were credited as having made the comeback of a lifetime.

Immediately after their performance composer Kuini Moehau Reedy told Maori Television that it was a “dream come true”.

“All I did was hold the pen, but there was unity in thought and that is how the waiata were created.”

All the hard work and weeks of preparation has culminated into history in the making.

Team tutor (and Te Matatini chairman) Selwyn Parata said the East Coast group was formed in 1958 and had not performed since 1965, but was reformed at the request of rangitahi.

“Our younger ones asked to get Pariha going again, to hold on to the korero of our sub-tribes Te Aitanga a Mate, Te Whanau o Te Rakairoa and Te Aowera as well as Ngati Porou,” he told Maori Television.

Meanwhile, Te Matatini Society has called for expressions of interest from potential stallholders for the February festival, an option more accessible to Gisborne participants than last year’s event in Christchurch.

If you are keen to get on board you will need to register your interest by July 29.