"This event is about culture, identity and allowing our tamariki to be able to express themselves through Maori performing arts. It's about letting them excel but at the same time they are representing their whanau, hapu and iwi."
The day was also focused on whanaungatanga (family ties), she said.
"What I've noticed is the camaraderie among the schools. They're competing with each other but they will go up and give them a hug."
Malfroy Primary School teacher Teina Tauti said this was the first time they had been part of the competition. She said 38 pupils had been under the guidance of tutors and experienced kapa haka performers Jamus Webster, Byron Thompson and Pryor Falwasser.
"We are very lucky to have these tutors and being able learn from their experience," Ms Tauti said.
"This group love it, we started practising in March and opened the opportunity up to the whole school. Whoever was interested.
"We had 72 students but we knew we could only have 40 on stage so over the weeks of training we found our core group."
The top four groups from the regional competition will represent Te Arawa in the national competition next year in Palmerston North.
