Hastings kura kaupapa blazes te reo trail at the Aims Games

The crew from Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Wananga Whare Tapere o Takitimu unleash their routine during the hip hop competition at the Zespri Aims Games. Photos / Alan Gibson

In a world where hip-hop is often danced to the beats of rap artists such as Missy Elliott and Scribe, one Aims Games crew flipped the script this year, performing to music entirely in Te Reo Māori.

Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Wānanga Whare Tapere o Takitimu ditched the usual mainstream anthems and instead remixed the power of hip-hop with the rhythm of their own identity.

Stepping onto the Zespri Aims Games stage for the first time with pink ribbons in their hair and some wearing greenstones around their neck, the Hastings crew was dubbed “trailblazers” of hip-hop by the Master of Ceremonies.

Choreographer Hinatore King, 11, said it was a privilege to bring their culture to the hip-hop stage.

The crowd loved Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Wananga Whare Tapere o Takitimu's routine. Photo / Alan Gibson

“We are representing our culture and embracing the reo for ourselves. We want to see more people dance to te reo Māori.”

King said the crew had only trained together for three weeks to bring their bold kaupapa to the stage and chose songs, which their kaiako Matua Whetu reworked into te reo Māori.

“I came up with the moves by just feeling the vibes. We chose these songs to represent the Māori in us.”

The school’s careers advisor and guidance counsellor, Cindy Grubner-Kuiti, had tears in her eyes watching the girls on stage.

“The crowd went crazy, I didn’t expect that.”

Grubner-Kuiti said te reo Māori is an “everyday celebration” and it was cool to share it with the hip-hop world.

“The girls are just being themselves. It’s their identity.”

Hip-hop performance code co-ordinator Sarah Martin said it was the games’ biggest year yet, with more than 44 dance crews registered.

“I think it’s incredible to see dance so prominent in intermediate schools. Aims is creating an epic space for that to grow.”

Hip-hop is one of 27 sporting codes at this year’s Zespri Aims Games, which is welcoming more than 14,000 intermediate-aged athletes to Tauranga this week.

- This article is supplied courtesy of Aims Games NZ