It takes more than a storm to keep Wanganui's over-50 kapa haka group away from their Sunday practice.
Tutors Morvin and Kura Simon began Te Taikura o te Awa Tupua in January, 2010. They are amazed at the group's dedication.
Several of the 50-odd members are over 80 years old, but they turn up every Sunday afternoon to practise at the Salvation Army Hall on Wicksteed St. They are there on time and with a koha (donation) toward hall costs and something to eat with a cup of tea afterward. It's a social time they all enjoy.
"It was really a way of keeping all the people together, that age group, so they're not sitting at home watching TV," Mr Simon said. Most are women over 50, but younger people are welcome. Joe Taiaroa is the only man who shows up every time.
Mrs Simon is teaching the ladies a poi number, despite the fact they are not naturals with the poi. "They've been working really hard this last few months on quite a lengthy poi, and it's really coming together."
The group is great to watch because it looks as if its enjoying itself. But Mrs Simon said members were dead scared of audiences at first.
"We've taught them how to smile and enjoy themselves and now they're being a lot more natural."
They are asked to perform "at just about every community event".
They're on at every iwi function as well. They perform at old people's homes, for the Marton Friendship Club, for Puanga in Wanganui and at Waitara, and in the Kaumatua Kapa Haka Festival in Wellington.
In Wanganui last month, they sang at the opening of the new recyling centre and at the fusion of two orders of Josephite nuns. One of their performances this month will be for the Governor-General. And they've been useful for singing waiata tautoko (support songs) for leaders like John Maihi who speak at public events.
Mr Simon used to play the guitar to accompany the singing, until he got arthritis. His wife does that job now, but she's looking for someone to take over.
The songs are varied, because the group has people from many hapu and marae. Often they are old ones, revamped for continued use. "We try and tease things out of them, so that we can share it and make sure that the songs of the past are still sung today," Mrs Simon said.
The group started, or rather restarted, because people had a nostalgia for the days of Whanganui iwi's exhibition at Te Papa, in the mid 2000s. Performers practised hard for months of Sundays to prepare for performances during the exhibition, and they wanted to carry on.