New Zealand Defence Force honours the last of the Māori Battalion at Te Kōnohete kapa haka festival in Wellington

The New Zealand Defence Force performing at Te Konohete, the Public Sector kapa haka festival.

• Ensign Shay Tahana performed at Te Kōnohete, the Public Sector kapa haka festival’s 20th anniversary in Wellington.
• Tahana, of Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Maniapoto and Kāi Tahu descent, joined the Royal New Zealand Navy in 2022.
• The New Zealand Defence Force rōpū celebrated waiata, tikanga, and te reo Māori, highlighting kotahitanga and biculturalism.

Ensign Shay Tahana was one of the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) performers at Te Kōnohete, the Public Sector kapa haka festival in Wellington, this year marking the 20th anniversary of the festival.

The festival has been an annual fixture for the NZDF for a number of years, celebrating waiata, tikanga and te reo Māori. The NZDF rōpū comprises serving members, civilian employees and whānau from across the services and motu.

For Tahana, it was her first Te Kōnohete: “What sets this rōpū apart is that we came together from all over Aotearoa. I love seeing the kotahitanga when we come together to create something beautiful.”

Tahana, who is of Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Maniapoto and Kāi Tahu descent, joined the Navy in 2022 following a year at Auckland University and is now a maritime logistics officer.

Royal New Zealand Navy Ensign Shay Tahana gets involved in many opportunities to be involved with kaupapa Māori at the Defence Force.

About her time at NZDF, she says: “Ehara taku toa I te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini.

“Success is not the work of an individual, but the work of many.

“There are many whakatauki (Māori proverbs) that depict the importance of kotahitanga, especially in the NZDF,“ Tahana said.

“On base I love to be involved in all kaupapa Māori such as Te Reo Heremana, Wednesday haka practice and our Rūnanga hui. There are countless opportunities for defence members and their whānau to be involved. To me, it is important that we uphold our Māoritanga. The effort that the NZDF makes to uphold biculturalism is evident through the countless opportunities that are provided to us.”

Her favourite part of the NZDF bracket at Te Kōnohete last week was the whakaeke (entrance song). Tahana co-created the movements together with other wāhine. During practice she said: “It’s awesome to see how wāhine who are confident in the kupu are becoming confident in the actions and movements.”

Waiata Tomo Mai was composed in 1946 to welcome home the survivors of the 28th Māori Battalion and sung last week to mark the passing of the last of the Battalion Tā Robert Gillies, who died recently.

Another highlight was the performance of the waiata Tomo Mai. The waiata was composed in 1946 to welcome home the survivors of the 28th Māori Battalion.

With their performance, the rōpū acknowledges both the New Zealand Māori Contingent and the Pioneer Battalion who fought in the First World War and the 28th Māori Battalion who fought during the Second World War, in recognition of their recent battle honours. Tomo Mai also acknowledges the passing of the late Tā Bom Gillies. Moe mai rā e matua.

“Of course the performance ended with stamping our authority by doing the NZDF haka,” Tahana said.