Te Matatini — the Kapa Haka Olympics

SEASONED PERFORMERS: Waihirere (pictured) took second place at Te Tairawhiti Tamararo Regional Kapahaka Championships last year in Gisborne, securing another spot at Te Matatini. They are the only group who have performed at every national kapahaka championship since its inception in 1972. They have won Te Matatini a record five times - equal with Te Waka Huia from Tamaki Makaurau - including the first event in 1972. Their last win was in 2002 in Tamaki Makaurau. Picture by Paul Rickard

With 47 teams from all over Aotearoa made up of 1800 competitors, and an expected crowd of 35,000 people, Te Matatini National Kapa Haka Festival is big. Michael Neilson chats to the Gisborne-born and bred “kapa haka nut” Matai Smith about hosting the event, what kapa haka means to him and why everybody should be excited about the celebration of Maoritanga that begins in Hastings this week.

Gisborne-born and bred television presenter Matai Smith fondly recalls his first time competing at Te Matatini, the national kapa haka championships, in 1994. He was a 16-year old student at Lytton High School and had made his way into the mighty Waihirere senior team.

“It was the equivalent of making the All Blacks for me,” he says. “Performing kapa haka is a celebration of our unique identities as hapu and iwi. Standing on stage with whanau can be quite an emotional and beautiful experience too.”

This week he will present Te Matatini for the third time for Maori TV. A record 47 teams from all over the country will take part in the four-day competition, hosted by Ngati Kahungunu in Hastings. It is expected to be the biggest since the competition began in 1972, with about 1800 competitors performing in front of an expected 35,000-strong crowd.

Five Tairawhiti teams are involved: Ruatoria-based Hikurangi Pariha, Uawa/Tolaga Bay’s Te Aitanga o Hauiti, Whangara mai Tawhiti, Waihirere and Tu Te Manawa Maurea of Manutuke.

“It is the biggest event on the Maori calender. I call it the kapa haka Olympics,” says Matai, a self-proclaimed kapa haka nut of Rongowhakaata, Ngai Tamanuhiri and Ngati Kahungunu descent.

He has competed at Matatini five times, twice with Waihirere, in 1994 and 2000, then three times with Tu Te Manawa Maurea in 2007, 2009 and 2011.

“I have been doing kapa haka ever since I was at Kaiti School. Then at Ilminster Intermediate, I took a leading role and continued that at Lytton High School. I love everything about it, especially being able to show who we are through song and dance.”

The 30-minute performances incorporate singing, haka, poi and intricate choreography.

“Groups can make statements about issues that affect them too. For Tairawhiti it could be about drilling for oil.

“Suicide is a huge problem among Maori. It is a bit of a taboo subject but I can guarantee one or two groups will make a statement about it this year through kapa haka.”

Groups also increasingly incorporate pop culture. Matai recalls at the last Matatini in Otautahi in 2015, one of the groups used the Game of Thrones theme song in their performance.

“It was surprising but clever. Groups can show their creativity through the tunes and choreography they select.”

In 1996 a group from Auckland used The Lion King theme tune.

“In 2017 who knows — maybe something with a tune from Moana.”

Tairawhiti is well-known for its strength in kapa haka, and success at Te Matatini. Waihirere has won five times, and Whangara mai Tawhiti won in 2005.

“Everyone knows Tairawhiti is very strong,” Matai says.

First-timers Hikurangi Pariha will be one to watch. The Ruatoria-based group re-formed for the Tamararo Regional Championships last year, qualifying for Te Matatini for the first time.

“They are a fresh team, they stick to the grassroots and their choreography is not too out of the blocks. They will be a dark horse and will have a great impact as Ngati Porou is one of the largest iwi in the country. That is another benefit. Everyone can listen, learn and be proud of who we are, our whakapapa and our links to the groups. All Tairawhiti teams are very strong though, and bringing it to the national stage is what it is all about. They all have one shot.”

There is much commitment and sacrifice that goes into the performances, as Matai knows only too well. As he was living in Auckland when he competed in Te Matatini from 2000, he had to travel back to Gisborne several weekends for trainings.

“But that level of commitment is normal. Many Tairawhiti people live outside the region, such as Hikurangi Pariha, which has members in Wellington who travel back to Ruatoria for training. I could have joined a group in Auckland, but it is about whanau back home. I was born and bred in Gisborne. I am proud of my whakapapa and links back home.”

Matai, who now lives on the Gold Coast, is excited to host the event with fellow “kapa haka nuts” Chey Milne and Kahurangi Maxwell. They are the same team who hosted the last event in 2015, and have been working to make this year’s coverage “as exciting as the event”.

Along with screening on TV it will be live-streamed, with new technology allowing viewers to post feedback directly to the hosts.

“Wherever people are in the world, they can watch it,” Matai says. “As a host it is exciting to get live feedback through social media from all around the world. Here on the Gold Coast, lots of people make a day out of it. They get the big screens going, friends and family around to watch it and have a barbeque. It is no longer exclusive to those at the competition.”

There will be English translations of performances for those that need them, but more importantly it is an opportunity to experience a celebration of Maori culture.

“Maori are often portrayed negatively in mainstream media, but events like this offer an alternative,” Matai says. “This is a heartfelt event, a chance to see something positive and inspirational. It is us celebrating our culture, our language, who we are.”

Te Matatini 2017 begins on Thursday, February 23, at Hawke’s Bay Sports Park, Hastings, and runs until finals day on Sunday, February 26.The event will be broadcast live each day on Freeview channel 5, Sky channel 19 and live-streamed on Maori TV’s website.The preliminary competition will run from 8.30am to 7.30pm each day while Te Matatini final on Sunday 26 will run from 8.30am–4.30pm.There will be daily three-hour highlight shows on Maori Television from 8.30pm–11.30pm.