Te Matatini 2025 champions Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue. Photo / Te Matatini Enterprises
Te Matatini 2025 champions Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue. Photo / Te Matatini Enterprises
Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue has won Te Matatini 2025.
Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue dedicated their bracket to the late Sir Robert Gillies, the last surviving member of the Māori Battalion, who died in November 2024, delivering an emotional performance.
Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka said thegroup made the stage their own from the moment they walked on to perform today.
Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue were the eighth of the 12 teams to perform but left a long-lasting impression across the various kapa haka disciplines.
“They were one of those groups who just took to the stage and made it their own,” Potaka said.
“Their uniqueness, their wairua [spirit] Māori, shone throughout their performance and that was a poignant point of difference. I heard a beautiful expression that stuck with me earlier this week: ‘The waiata goes into my ears and out my eyes.’ Seeing the passion in their performance and being part of that sold-out crowd was an awesome feeling.
Ngā Tumanako put on a solid kapa haka performance. Photo / Te Matatini Enterprises
“This was the culmination of the biggest Te Matatini we’ve seen: fifty-five kapa haka performing with Te Mahau under the watch of Te Kāhui Maunga.
Potaka said kapa haka is an important cultural component for New Zealanders and why the Government had invested $48 million to ensure it is front and centre.
“We’ve seen whānau lining up for hours in the mornings to get the best spots. We’ve seen Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti give an emotional tribute to their lost loved ones including former leader Ricky Mitai. And we’ve seen those just at the start of their reo journey; they might not understand all the kupu yet but they can feel it and know they’re resonating with something magic.
“That’s why the Government made the largest ever investment in Te Matatini at the last Budget: $48.7m over three years. We want to make sure that this event can continue to grow and thrive.
Angitu was the 3rd group from Tāmaki Makaurau who made the top 12. Photo / Te Matatini Enterprises.
“I hope that the region enjoys the economic boost this event is expected to bring – about $26m – and I hope that you all got the chance to enjoy this event as much as the visitors.
“Big thanks to our Te Kāhui Maunga whānau for hosting us all, Carl Ross and his team’s hard mahi, and to all the performers and supporters. Ngā mihi aroha ki a koutou katoa.
The final day started with spectators lining up at 3am, four hours before the gates opened.
From the 55 teams that qualified, only 12 of the kapa haka groups who performed this week made it to today’s final.
Under the weight of 15,000 fans, Pukekura or the Bowl of Brooklands was heaving.
First up was Mōtai Tangata Rau from Tainui, followed by Te Arawa kapa Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai.
Five-time champions Te Waka Huia from Tāmaki Makaurau were third followed by the star-studded Mātaatua kapa Te Taumata o Apanui.
The biggest support for Te Matatini 2025 came via social media.
As of 7.30am, Saturday, March 1, there had been 21.5 million views related to Te Matatini across the Instagram, Facebook and TikTok platforms.
Te Matatini’s social media following also increased by 32,000 new followers.
The Te Matatini app, the festival screen recorded 1.4 million interactions, the Haka Translate function had 460,000 interactions, with 300,000 of those streams.
The official anthem of Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga made history on Friday when the te reo Māori and bilingual versions were consecutively ranked No 1 and No 2 on the Official Aotearoa Music Chart (Hot Aotearoa 20 singles category).
Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue. Photo / Te Matatini Enterprises.
TOA WHAKAIHUWAKA - NGĀPŌ PĪMIA WEHI DUNCAN MCINTYRE TROPHY
KOHINE PONIKA ‘AKU MAHI’ MEMORIAL TROPHY – PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD
Te Kuru Marutea
TE KAIRANGI O TE REO Ā TUHI – TE TAONGA A TE TAI PŪKARUKARU O POUTINI
Te Uri o Manumanu, Te Rerenga Kōtuku, Te Pae Kahurangi, Te Pou o Mangataawhiri, Te Kapa Haka o Te Whānau a Apanui, ANGITU, Te Iti Kahurangi, Te Rangiura o Wairarapa, Ngā Tumanako, Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue, Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai, Whāngārā Mai Tawhiti, Waihirere.
TITONGA WAIATA HOU (LYRICS & MUSIC) BEST ORIGINAL COMPOSITION OVERALL – TE TAONGA WHAKAMAUMAHARA KI A TAA KINGI IHAKA
Te Pou o Mangataawhiri, Ngā Purapura o Te Taihauāuru, Whāngārā Mai Tawhiti.
TITONGA HOU WAIATA Ā RINGA – HE TOHU AROHA NĀ TE WHENUA MOEMOEĀ
Te Rōpū Manutaki, Te Kapa haka o Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti, Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao Kapa Haka Kapa Haka, Te Pou o Mangataawhiri, Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Ranginui, ANGITU, Te Kuru Marutea, Ngā Purapura o Te Taihauāuru, Te Iti Kahurangi, Te Waka Huia, Ngā Tūmanako, Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai, Te Kapa Haka o Ruātoki, Te Reanga Morehu o Rātana, Te Taumata o Apanui, Te Hekenga ā Rangi, Whāngārā Mai Tawhiti, Waihirere, Ngāti Rangiwewehi.
WAIATA Ā-TIRA – TE TAONGA A TE RŌPŪ WAIATA MĀORI O AOTEAROA
Te Pou o Mangataawhiri, Whāngārā Mai Tawhiti, Ngāti Rangiwewehi
MANUKURA WAHINE – TE KOROWAI MANUKURA WAHINE
Te Kapa Haka o Ōpotiki Mai Tawhiti, Ngā Purapura o Te Tai Hauāuru
