What's on: Kapa haka, hāngī and more at Ngāti Hau Festival in Northland

Pehiaweri Marae-based group Hātea will open the Ngāti Hau Festival this weekend. Photo / Michael Cunningham

A performance from a Whangārei group preparing for a prestigious national kapa haka competition will open the Ngāti Hau Festival this weekend.

Ngāpuhi hapū Ngāti Hau are hosting the event tomorrowwith support of five of the hapū marae situated in the mid north and Whangārei including Maraenui, Akerama, Whakapara, Pehiaweri and Maruata.

Te Kapa Haka Roopu Hātea - based at Pehiaweri Marae - will perform at the opening of the festival at Akerama Marae - situated in Towai, five minutes off State Highway 1 - at 10am.

Hātea are currently in weekly practise mode preparing for Te Matatini Festival - a significant kapa haka competition lauded as the pinnacle event for Māori performing arts which is being held at The Westpac Trust Stadium in Wellington from the February 20-24.

The group have taken time out from their busy practise schedule to open the festival.

The Ngāti Hau Festival has camping sites and stalls available, live music and entertainment, raffles, a tamariki zone with bouncy castles, pony rides and face painting.

There will also be food and T-shirts for sale, arts and craft stalls and a Kaumatua Zone - including a space for whaikōrero (speeches).

Information stalls by health providers and Government agencies will also feature.

Punters will also be able to dig into a traditional in-the-ground hāngī which will be ready from 5.30pm. For hāngī tickets contact Wattie Cooper on 021 027 89597 before they are
all sold.

Meanwhile, to book stalls and camping sites contact Dale Halliday on 021 025 25791.

There will be no eftpos available at the event so whānau are asked to bring cash.

Visit www.facebook.com/ngatihaufestival2019 for more information.