Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai were the first qualifiers for Te Arawa for Te Matatini. Photo / Supplied by Shareena Dixon
Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai were the first qualifiers for Te Arawa for Te Matatini. Photo / Supplied by Shareena Dixon
It's a fierce competition but this year Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai has been crowned the best at Te Arawa Kapa Haka Regionals 2020. Journalist Kelly Makiha talks to the leaders about how they pulled it off and the unusual way they celebrated their win.
There's been no rest formembers of Te Arawa's winning kapa haka group Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai during the past year but they dug deep at the weekend to take out the top spot for a special reason.
The group's performance at the weekend at Te Arawa Kapa Haka Regionals 2020 was dedicated to Himiona Herbert, an original member who died suddenly at the age of 46 in October last year from a brain aneurysm.
His death came two days before Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai members were to fly to Australia to perform at the prestigious Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Australia, leaving the 40 members devastated they were unable to attend his tangi.
Preparing for that trip had been weeks in the making, adding to the group's hectic 2019 schedule which also included filming for a Hollywood production company in Wellington to make the next Avatar movie plus rehearsing for a Matariki show in Auckland.
Throw into that mix the fact that leaders Tukiterangi and Renata Curtis had a baby three months ago - just as rehearsals for the regionals started to ramp up - and it's been a frantic 12-month calendar.
"So basically we haven't rested very well. We have been kapa haka'd out. It was a tough campaign because a lot of my members didn't have a break and it was hard to prepare a strategic plan to keep them interested," Tukiterangi Curtis said.
Members of the group are affiliated to Ngāti Rongomai and travel to Rotorua for weekend-long practices from all over, including Wellington, Auckland, Ōtaki, Matapouri and Tokoroa.
The practices are Saturday and Sundays from 9am to 6pm both nights and are gruelling.
Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai during their warm-up before their performance. Photo / Supplied
They will now spend the next few months resting and recharging before Te Matatini National Kapa Haka Festival 2021 rehearsals start.
Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai has only been together since 2013 but already are becoming regular trophy collectors at Te Matatini.
Making the national competition three times, last year they came second. The first two years they placed fourth and fifth respectively.
Meanwhile, "new kids on the block" Te Hekenga ā Rangi have found themselves in the top six after their first crack at the regional competition.
Despite being a new group, they are led by seasoned performers husband and wife Dan and Hiria Vaka.
First-timers Te Hekenga ā Rangi came sixth and will go to Te Matatini. Photo / Supplied
Dan Vaka said the group had been formed through family members who had a common goal and there was a good mix of experienced and new performers.
He said they were thrilled to make it through to Te Matatini.
"Six is the new number one. To come sixth overall is a huge achievement for our babies and we are so happy for them."
Meanwhile, for Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai, Tukiterangi Curtis said his group would focus on who they were as an iwi as they headed to Te Matatini in Auckland in 2021.
"Through knowing who we are, we can stick to our values and goals and the results will come from that."
Having worked so hard in the past year, Tukiterangi Curtis said he and his wife celebrated their win on Sunday by doing something they didn't normally do in the weekends.
"We stayed home and mowed the lawns."
Overall Winners and going to Te Matatini 2020 to represent Te Arawa:
1. Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai 2. Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao 3. Ngāti Rangiwewehi 4. Te Matarae I O Rehu 5. Ngāti Whakaue 6. Te Hekenga a Rangi
Whakaeke 1. Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai, Te Matarae I O Rehu, Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao
Mōteatea 1. Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai, Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao
Waiata ā-ringa 1. Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao 2. Te Hikuwai, Te Hekenga a Rangi, Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai,
Poi 1. Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao, Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai 2. Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Te Matarae I O Rehu
Haka 1. Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Te Pikikōtuku o Rongomai, Ngāti Whakaue
Whakawātea 1. Te Pikikōtuku o Rongomai, Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao 2. Te Matarae I O Rehu
Te Reo 1. Ngāti Whakaue 2. Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai
