Nervous kapa haka groups from high schools around the region were getting their final practises in last night for today's annual competition at Hawke's Bay Opera House.
A fixture for over 25 years, the Hawke's Bay Regional Secondary Schools' Kapa Haka Competition sees schools battle it out for a spot at
the national competition, to be held in Rotorua in July.
Hosted this year by Hastings Boys' High School, today's event will see outstanding displays of Maori performing arts from Napier, Hastings and Central Hawke's Bay pupils.
Hastings Boys' High School kaumatua and member of the Kapa Haka Committee, Brown Wiki, said the competitive nature of the event would provide a great display for the audience.
"It's quite competitive so there's a lot of tension and nervousness, but the most important part is the competition because it helps students to refine their standards," he said.
"They get to work towards a standard of excellence that we always pursue, but when you see them perform you see they extend themselves."
Principal of Hastings Boys', Rob Sturch, said the school was honoured to be this year's host and looked forward to watching today's competition.
"We are very pleased to play our part, with some pretty clever people in charge with a history in performing arts, so we are very well-looked after," he said.
For more coverage of today's event, see tomorrow's edition of Hawke's Bay Today.
