The members of Napier Girls' High School's kapa haka group are still buzzing after winning the regional secondary school's competition this week.
The 27-strong group won the haka wahine (female haka) and waiata aria (action song) disciplines, and were placed in the other five disciplines at the competition held at the
Pettigrew-Green Arena in Napier.
Year 13 pupil and co-leader Gemma Kara said when Te Aute College was read out as second placegetter she thought there was "no way" they would beat them, so to come first was a really big shock.
Gemma had done kapa haka since she was little, and the other co-leader, Laura Hyde, who was not Maori, joined because her friends had and ended up loving it.
"It's part of me now."
Neither had expected to be in the position of leader, saying it was a little daunting trying to keep up to the standards which had been set, and knowing they they would have the task of passing on their knowledge to next year's leaders. Both Year 13 pupils, they admitted to being a little sad they would not be around for the nationals next year.
Tutors John Matthews and Keita Tuhi were very proud and shared in the group's delight but were quick to say others at the school, such as English department head Sue Fullerton, deserved just as much credit for their support.
Between them the couple tutored between 14 and 20 groups a year, from primary school age upwards. This was the fifth year they had tutored the Napier Girls' group.
They put their success down to hard work and discipline, Matthews saying it had been building for a long time.
"They would put in 60 hours a year as a group, but personally, the time they put in, you can't even count it," he said.
For some of the girls, it had also done wonders for their home and school life, confidence and self-esteem, Tuhi said.
A record 16 schools took part in the regional competition this week.
