Sweet success for Muriwhenua

Luck played no part in Muriwhenua's stunning success at last weekend's Te Tai Tokerau senior kapa haka competition in Whangarei.

The secret, Leonie Waitai said, was six months' training, planning and preparation. And while this was Muriwhenua's third attempt to win the competition, it did much more than that.

"Dedication, commitment, hard work and a great attitude are all that is needed to be part of this kapa," Leonie said, and those attributes had been rewarded with wins in almost every aggregate item (whakaeke, moteatea, waiata-a-ringa, poi and whakawatea) and a close second place in the haka.

"They returned home to the Far North with a great sense of pride and achievement as the new title-holders for Te Tai Tokerau, an achievement they proudly share with their whanau, hapu, iwi and community," Leonie added.

The group would now advance to the national event, Te Matatini, at Hagley Park in Christchurch over March 4-8 next year.

Muriwhenua binds the five prominent iwi of the Far North (Ngati Kuri, Te Aupouri, Ngai Takoto, Ngati Kahu and Te Rarawa), representing a total of 45 marae, but while all 40 performers are from the Far North, almost half of them live in Auckland or Hamilton, travelling every fortnight to train for competition.

There is no lack of commitment though.

"Members say that kapa haka gets in your bones; it's the whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, learning the history of their people and Nana Pat's cooking that keeps bringing them home," Leonie said.

"This performance in particular was special in many ways for Muriwhenua, with the long-awaited inclusion of brother and sister Daniel and Hera Waitai to join Chris Henare, Sandra Waitai-Henare, Samantha Waitai-Terekia and first cousin Thomas Strickland to take on a co-tutelage role," she added.

"All had been long-standing members of Te Waka Huia, and, with a dream to develop kapa haka to a high national level, they have all returned home to bring Muriwhenua to the forefront of kapa haka by sharing the history and stories of the North through Maori performing arts."

The arduous task now was to raise funds to get to Christchurch, and the team are looking for potential sponsors.

Meanwhile the roopu particularly wished to thank Te Rangi Aniwaniwa, Pukemiro, Aniwaniwa Kohanga Reo, whanau and supporters, and go offer congratulations to the three other teams that qualified for Te Matatini (Hokianga, Hatea and Te Puu Ao).