Pupils from St Joseph's School Stratford joined their peers from 28 other schools around the region last Friday to participate in Te Huihuinga O Ng Tatarakihi O Taranaki - Taranaki Primary Schools Cultural Festival.
The kapa haka competition, open to primary schools from around Taranaki, took place at the TSB Hub in Hawera where performers were marked by a panel of judges on elements of their performance, including haka, poi and the use of te reo.
Te Huihuinga O Ng Tatarakihi O Taranaki was established in the early 1990s by Aronui Tomua to promote kapa haka and Maori culture among Taranaki primary schools.
Seven of the groups participating this year were competing for three places at the national contest in Gisborne which takes place later this year. The places went to Te Ra o Te Uru, a combined group from Ngati Ruanui and Ngaruahinerangi (first), Te Kura o Waitara Rawhiti from Waitara, (second) and Te Kura Takawaenga o Manukorihi from Manukorihi Intermediate School (third).
