Smiles start kapa haka festival

St Mary's School in Mahora, Hastings, in action during day one of the Ngati Kahungunu kapa haka festival at Richmond School in Maraenui. Photo / Paul Taylor

The Ngati Kahungunu primary school kapa haka festival has started with spirited performances.

Richmond Primary School is hosting the annual festival this year. It is the second year in a row the school has been host.

About 45 teams from different schools in the Hawke's Bay region were involved this year. Schools from Wairoa and Mohaka will also arrive tomorrow. Principal Maurice Rehu said the opening days had been "fantastic, the organisation team and whanau have refined on last year's".

Mr Rehu said this year the feel of the festival was "nice, it's got that festival feel, it's just nice".

The weather had really set the first day off. Mr Rehu said last year the wind was so strong it tore the roof off the stage.

Each day will begin with a powhiri and end with a karakia, or prayer. Also present at the festival is Te Mauri o te Matatini, the Ngati Kahungunu stone that embodied the essence of the national kapa haka competition, which Hawke's Bay will host in 2017. Bridge Pa School kapa haka teacher Oriwia Tapine said "the children have been really excited about preparing for the show".

The students had been practising most of the year and had daily practices in the lead-up to the festival. Mr Rehu said the festival celebrated Maori performing arts, brought together children and families and strengthened tribal identity.

Organisers are expecting more than 2000 children to participate. There is no winner of the festival, Mr Rehu said. It was more about bringing people together.

Entry to the event is $3. Performances run between 9am and 2.30pm each day. For more information visit phone app is.gd/Zj6Wmw or www.richmondnapier. school.nz/Site/Home.ashx.