Karamu High School kapa haka devotees full of passion in return to competition

Ezra-Jade Tomoana (Ngāti Kahungunu, left) and Kiechar Morrell (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Porou), perform at the Municipal Theatre in Napier. Photo / Paul Taylor

Hours of practice to learn words, harmonies, movements, formations and master traditional Māori skills came down to one performance for high school students on Friday.

Thirteen Hawke’s Bay secondary school groups performed an array of kapa haka items including waiata tira (choral), whakaeke (entrance song), mōteatea (traditional song), waiata ā ringa (action song), haka (war dance), poi and whakawātea (exit song).

Four groups will go on to nationals.

It was the first time in five years Karamu High School had competed in Te Haaro o Te Kaahu Ngā Whakataetae Kapa Haka ā rohe o Te Matau a Māui 2023 - it usually opts to perform without being judged.

Kapa haka kaiako Kōkā Shar, otherwise known as Sharlena Maui (Atiunuimaruarua), said the group of about 40 students is the largest they’d had in many years.

The decision to compete came after Year 13 cultural leaders Calais Byrne (Ngāti Kahungunu) and Kaiya Anderson-Maui (Atiunuimaruarua and Ngāti Maniapoto) asked to compete.

Kōkā Shar along with fellow kaiako Kōkā Pī, otherwise known as Pikihoro Stewart (Rongowhakaata and Ngāti Kahungunu), composed five of the seven items in the bracket.

“We just provide them with the tools and in the end, they are the ones who show the product of that.

“But the big thing is that we fit our bracket and our kapa haka to each group, each year so it is unique to them. In our kapa haka, whanaungatanga and sense of belonging is our biggest philosophy.

“And it was a big request from those two girls to compete so in a way it kind of put us under that pressure to do something great for our kids.”

She was proud of how kapa haka allowed kids to be “unapologetically Māori”.

Kaiya says they “really wanted” to compete in their final year of high school, “just to be able to go out with a bang”.

Calais says it was an awesome group to stand with for her final year.

“I love how we’re more than just a group that performs. We’re a whānau.”

Tuahiake Pohatu-Hawkins (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa) is one of three kaitātaki, along with Calais and Kaiya.

“There is a sense of whanaungatanga and family within our group, so it makes you feel pretty safe. Also, it helps me connect with my ancestors, with my heritage and with my culture in general,” the Year 12 student said.

Karamu High School's Tuahiake Pohatu-Hawkins (Ngāti Kahungunu) during the school's first judged performance in five years. Photo / Paul Taylor