The Te Tai Tokerau Cultural Festival may not be a competition. But it is natural for groups to want to put their best foot forward.
The annual festival, a celebration of kapa haka and Maori culture, will see 29 schools from around Northland descend on Bream Bay College next month.
Rosemary Nathan, deputy principal of Bream Bay College, said kapa haka roopu have spent many hours, including time after school and in the weekends, practising for the festival.
"There are the schools which eat and breath kapa haka and those schools which are trying to grow it as a cultural practice," she said.
Ms Nathan said the festival, which is hosted by different Northland schools each year, usually draws a crowd of 3000 to 5000 during the two days. Each school will perform twice.