Rotorua Intermediate School's kapa haka group perform to their school ahead of this weekend's competition. Photo / Andrew Warner
Rotorua Intermediate School's kapa haka group perform to their school ahead of this weekend's competition. Photo / Andrew Warner
They may be a bunch of excited children, but when it comes to kapa haka, there's discipline, pride, poise and perfection.
Hours of practice to learn words, harmonies, movements, formations, and mastering traditional Māori skills will all come down to one performance on Saturday for hundreds of primary school pupils taking part in Te Arawa Primary Schools Regional Kapa Haka 2022.
And there's more than just pride at stake.
For the 13 teams, they have the ultimate in their sights - being named among the top four to represent the iwi at next year's national competition in Nelson.
Each school has up to 25 minutes to perform six or seven items, including a choral song (optional), whakaeke (entrance song), waiata tawhito (traditional chant), waiata-a-ringa (action song), poi, haka and whakawātea (exit song).
19 judges will be watching closely, marking them on te reo Māori skills and awarding points in different categories. Prizes will also be given out for non-aggregate items including best choral, kākahu (costume), kaitātaki tane (male leader) and kaitātaki wāhine (female leader).
Organising committee chairman Rawiri Wihapi said the day was always amazing, filled with proud parents and school staff - many shedding tears of pride.
"It's an opportunity to showcase our Māori culture through our tamariki, and [gives] them stepping stones to perform[ing] at secondary school level, and then maybe through to the senior groups at Te Matatini."
Te Arawa has consistently shown strength, with the iwi's top groups often being named among the top nationally.
Wihapi said the 2021 national competition wasn't able to go ahead because of the Covid pandemic, so many children had waited two years to take the national stage - making the bid to be named among the top four this weekend even more important.
Rotorua Intermediate School's kapa haka group perform to their school ahead of this weekend's competition. Photo / Andrew Warner
Former national finalists Rotorua Intermediate School performed their songs to the school on Wednesday as a practice run ahead of the weekend.
One of the tutors, Leeda Webster, said the cancelling of events over the past two years meant the kapa haka competition calendar had been shifted around, which had created some overlapping challenges for her and her brother, Jamus Webster, with their commitments to tutoring Raukura - the Rotorua Girls' and Boys' high schools' kapa haka team.
She said Merekara Gardiner, Rhys Hohepa and their daughters, Te Aowheoro and Hineawa, were instrumental in getting the group started.
"I have to give a huge mihi to Whaea Merekara and her whānau, the Hohepa-Gardiners, for holding the fort for us and doing the hard yards with our tamariki."
She said they rejoined the tutoring team at the start of October, a week after losing their father, Alfred Webster, who was a huge supporter of their kapa haka journey.
"This time around has been challenging due to the absence of kapa haka last year with the Mana Kuratahi (nationals) being cancelled. And with challenges of social media and technology, it's been about reconnecting our tamariki to te ao Māori through the art of kapa haka. It teaches our tamariki not only about being proud to be Māori, but also teaches them great values such as discipline, respect, trust and so on."
It would be the first time competing in a kapa haka competition for most of Rotorua Intermediate School's performers, she said.
"So, excitement is in the air until the day gets near, and then they will feel the adrenaline that we as whānau thrive on."
Rotorua Intermediate Year 7 pupil Caira-Jem Smalley-Huch, 12, said she loved learning how to be a better performer and that the tutors were "really good".
She said she was excited and nervous.
"But we've worked hard - so more excited. I'm always a little nervous when I go on stage; so many people."
Her favourite part was performing poi.
"It's so satisfying to get through it with no mistakes."
* Tickets are available through Ticketek and are expected to sell out.
