Kapa haka festival makes robust return to Wairau

SARA HOLLYMAN AND EVAN TUCHINSKY

The mana of the young people Te Tauihu (Top of the South) was undeniable at Kia Hūkere te Hoe last week. The regional kapa haka festival – the biggest to ever be held in Wairau (Marlborough) – was a celebration of a performance art which has become so popular that there wasn’t enough room for all the teams that wanted to perform.

The two-day event, which began on Thursday, served as the regional qualifier for next year’s Te Mana Kuratahi, the biennial national primary schools kapa haka competition, and Te Matatini 2027, the national kapa haka festival. Secondary school teams also took to the stage battling it out for regional honours.

Having the event in Wairau meant a lot to participants and audience members from local communities.

Performers from Ngā Taiohi o Wairau, second-place finishers in Kura Tuarua (secondary schools), expressed the specialness of performing in front of whānau, while others spoke to the mana radiating from the stage.

Allanah Burgess, Marlborough’s Māori Ward Councillor, came to Friday’s culminating session with her children. She reflected on the impact on local iwi and the pride in hosting an event of this magnitude. When in Wairau 13 years ago, the regional kapa haka was a single-day gathering.

Te Tautoko Whānau – a rōpū (group) of around 40 adults, a majority of whom have no Māori heritage, from Nelson Tasman – opened competition on the second day. Karen Wells said it was the third time they had performed.

“To get two groups to Te Matatini, there needs to be six groups competing, so we are there to support others,” she explained.

Te Tautoko Whānau started as a group of kaiako (teachers) who were part of Te Ahu o te reo Māori, a Ministry of Education strategy to lift Māori language capability. Tutored by Nelson College’s Api Filiai, they were initially meeting once a month but ramped up closer to the competition.

It was no small feat to get almost 40 people from across the region together for practice. Such is the draw of kapa haka. Sonny Alesana, Te Tauihu Kapa Haka Inc. heamana (chair), says it has become increasingly popular in recent years.

A dozen primary school teams competed at Kia Hūkere te Hoe. “Unfortunately, we had 11 other teams that we couldn’t fit on the two days,” he noted, “so we have to find … how we might be able to accommodate the exponential growth of kapa haka in our region.”

Kia Hūkere te Hoe top finishers

Kura Tuatahi (primary)
1st: Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Tuia te Matangi
2nd: Te rōpū Whakamanamana | Victory Primary School
3rd: Te Kōhao o te Ngira | Broadgreen Intermediate

Kura Tuarua (secondary)
1st: Whiria
2nd: Nga Taiohi o Wairau
3rd: Puaha Te Tai | Te Kāriei o Neirana