Te Ahurei o Horowhenua Kapahaka Festival was held at Waiopehu College this week. Photo / www.thenomadcreative.co.nz
Te Ahurei o Horowhenua Kapahaka Festival was held at Waiopehu College this week. Photo / www.thenomadcreative.co.nz
Kapa haka is alive in the Horowhenua.
Te Ahurei o Horowhenua Kapahaka Festival was held at Waiopehu College yesterday — a celebration of Māori culture and a culmination of hours of dedication and commitment.
Support for the 550-plus performers had the auditorium at capacity to watch stunning performances by kindergarten tamariki and schools involved.
This year's Te Ahurei Kapahaka o Horowhenua Festival was the biggest yet. Photo / www.thenomadcreative.co.nz
Te Ahurei o Horowhenua Kapahaka was established by Dylan Kiriona in 2012 as a non-competitive kapa haka festival for local schools in the Horowhenua area, and this year’s event was the biggest yet.
Kiriona said prior to establishing the kapa haka festival, there were only a couple of schools that would participate in similar events held in either Kāpiti or Manawatū.
“Travel was sometimes a barrier for schools’ participation, but often there was a lack of expert tutors to support schools to provide kapa haka and attend such events,” he said.
Te Ahurei o Horowhenua Kapahaka Festival was held at Waiopehu College this week. Photo / www.thenomadcreative.co.nz
An area was set up for kaumātua to enjoy the festival in the comfort of couches, kai and a warm room, hosted by Te Hau Aroha teachers and their students.
Kuia Te Uira Sciascia said it was fabulous to be able to get together to watch moko perform.
“The manaakitanga shown to us in the kaumātua koru lounge was just outstanding and the kai was beautiful,” she said.
The auditorium was at capacity for Te Ahurei o Horowhenua Kapahaka Festival held at Waiopehu College. Photo / www.thenomadcreative.co.nz
Event MCs Lupa Daly and Hika Pene kept the crowd entertained, interacting with the audience with games and challenges between performances.
Aroha Pakau, one of the event organisers, said the team were blown away by the number of people that showed up.
“It’s amazing to see the increase in tamariki embracing kapa haka and the pride in the faces of their whānau while they’re watching them perform. A big mihi to Guy Reichenbach, Keriana Stirling, Bronya Davies and the rest of the team at Waiopehu College,” she said.
Te Ahurei o Horowhenua Kapahaka Festival was held at Waiopehu College this week. Photo / www.thenomadcreative.co.nz
Horowhenua District Mayor Bernie Wanden attended the festival.
“Te Ahurei o Horowhenua Kapahaka was a wonderful occasion with the coming together of old and young performing song and dance that spoke so much to the celebration of te ao Māori and was a fantastic way to start the celebration of Matariki,” he said.
Te Ahurei o Horowhenua Kapahaka Festival was held at Waiopehu College this week. Photo / www.thenomadcreative.co.nz
