Te Arawa kapa haka groups received a rousing welcome home as they returned from Te Matatini.
More than 200 people greeted Te Matarae i Orehu, Kataore and Tuhourangi-Ngati Wahiao at Rotorua Airport yesterday afternoon when they returned from Christchurch where they took part in the four-day national kapa haka competition.
Te Matarae i Orehu was named equal second with Opotiki Mai Tawhiti behind fellow Eastern Bay of Plenty group Te Whanau a Apanui. Miriama Morrison-Hare was named the competition's best female leader for Te Matarae i Orehu.
"The group is feeling great, we went out there to do our best ..." Ms Morrison-Hare said.