Kapa haka group gets revved up

Pukekohe North Primary School's kapa haka group will be on the starting grid at Pukekohe this weekend. Photo / Christine Cornege

A group of Auckland schoolchildren will be thrust into the global spotlight when their kapa haka performance is beamed to more than 130 countries on Sunday.

The 40 Pukekohe North School students aged between 5 and 13-years-old will perform on the starting grid before the main V8 Supercars ITM 400 Auckland race at Pukekohe Park Raceway.

Principal Robyn Withers-Lauer said the children, who will represent Auckland at the kapa haka nationals in November, were excited and had been working hard to perfect their moves.

"They are really, really excited and grateful for the opportunity to be noticed," she said. "It is really special to us and wonderful for our children, it gives them something to really look forward to."

The group was tutored by Homai te Pakipaki host Pikiteora Mura-Hita, who's choreography was "really quite special", said Ms Withers-Lauer.

Greg Mosen, the Auckland event manager, said the performance would broadcast New Zealand's unique culture to international viewers. It was also part of a wider partnership that will see an increased cultural presence at future V8 events.