The stage at the Te Kahui Maunga Aotea Kapa Haka regionals in 2018 was set up so that people could see the Ratana temple behind it.
The stage at the Te Kahui Maunga Aotea Kapa Haka regionals in 2018 was set up so that people could see the Ratana temple behind it.
Te Matatini - the national kapa haka competition - is set to be hosted in the Whanganui/Taranaki area for the first time in 30 years.
Manuhiri (guests) from Ngāti Whātua, who hosted the 2023 event in Auckland, are heading to Rātana Pā this Saturday along with Kiingitanga and Te Matatini representatives to hand over the hosting rights to the Te Kāhui Maunga kapa haka district (formerly Aotea).
A mauri stone is considered the baton of Te Matatini and its handover in a unique opening ceremony will kick-start the journey to Te Matatini 2025.
The event was last held in the region in Te Hāwera in 1994.
Rātana Pā whānau gearing up to host the masses, nothing new.
The region’s kapa haka groups will welcome Te Toka Mauri O Te Matatini (the stone), Ngāti Whātua, Kiingitanga and Te Matatini representatives to Rātana Pā.
The Te Kāhui Maunga kapa haka district (formerly Aotea), encompasses the western part of the central North Island.
Maunga, the māori word for mountain, pays homage to the clusters of mountains surrounding the region, especially Taranaki, Ruapehu, Pāraekaretū (Hunterville) and Hīnai (Rātana).
The essence and kōrero of the people of te awa tupua, the Whanganui River also feature prominently in the region’s kapa haka history, with many kaihaka (performers) within the wider region having connections to the river.
Poropiti Māori (prophets) of the Te Kāhui Maunga kapa haka region. From left to right (top) - TW Rātana (Te Haahi Rātana), Te Māreikura (Te Māramatanga Movement); (below) - Te Whiti O Rongomai (Parihaka) and Tohu Kakahi (Parihaka).
Fresh waiata (song) and haka (dance) are composed every year, with a range of kaupapa covered in the compositions.
Regional competitions will be held throughout 2024 for kapa haka groups around New Zealand and Australia to qualify for the more than 50 spots for the Te Matatini 2025 festival.
The date and venue for Te Matatini 2025 are yet to be confirmed.
The successful Te Matatini Herenga Waka Herenga Tāngata event, held in Auckland in February, attracted almost 60,000 people to Eden Park Ngā Ana Wai, with 730,000 New Zealanders watching TVNZ 2′s live coverage, while 188,000 streamed the festival on TVNZ+.
— This report was produced under the Public Interest Journalism initiative, funded by NZ on Air
