Celebrating end of year with kapa haka festival

It was tear-jerking for nannies, mums and dads, older siblings, and everyone who watched the mass videos recorded and shared throughout Facebook. Photo / Supplied

Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngāti Kahungunu ki Heretaunga has been the host to at least 50 kapa haka teams that participated in a week-long event of kapa haka performances last week.

Teams were made up of kohanga aged children who performed in the Mokotini Kohanga Reo Kapa Haka Festival, then from Tuesday, November 29 to Thursday, December 1, the Te Ahurei Kuratahi – Ngāti Kahungunu Primary Schools Kapa Haka Festival took place.

On Friday, December 2, was the Tama Turanga - Ngāti Kahungunu Primary Schools Kapa Haka Regionals, which saw the standard of Kapa Haka lift to a whole new standard. Saturday, December 3, was “Hakanuia” – an inter Marae Kapa Haka Festival.

Each day brought new challenges for the organisers, but everything was well worth the hard work put in by all participants whether performing or helping with the management .

It was tear-jerking for nannies, mums and dads, older siblings, and everyone who watched the mass videos recorded and shared throughout Facebook. Everyone was so proud of their whānau who performed and gave it their all.

While this was also one of the biggest weeks of the year for any school as the end of the school year fast approaches, other schools also held their end-of-year events involving kapa haka to celebrate graduating students and also recognise the importance of inter-generational sharing.

Week of kapa haka events. Photo / Supplied

On Thursday, December 1, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Arahou, held their own welcome day for all the Kaumātua of the children in the school. Our iwi event manager Te Rangi Huata was pleased to receive his very own handwritten invitation from his mokopuna, Kahia-Chas Tutapiri Ao Kopu. He went along, not so sure of what to expect, but was pleasantly greeted by the children who sang and performed for their Kaumātua.

“I’ve never been to a kura that has acknowledged the grandparents like this,” Te Rangi Huata said.

“It was done so beautifully. It was a wonderful tradition of having mokopuna performing for their adoring grandparents while their grandparents waived back at their adorable mokopuna. One mokopuna would wave to their nanny, and all the nannies would wave back”.

A nice lunch was provided afterward then MC Tawhirimakea Karaitiana invited all of the children to have a photo with their grandparents.

“I felt good, proud and will cherish such special occasions to enjoy and remember. This would have been the highlight of the week for these grandparents. I’m so glad I went”.

To all the hardworking organisers, managers, cooks, teachers, parents, helpers, and participants, we are all very grateful for your time and energy to make these wonderful things happen in our community. It’s these very activities that build timeless memories, joyful moments to discuss in the future, happy times to remember.

Tihei Kahungunu!