Te Hokowhitu a Tū placed third in 2026's Tamararo. Photo / Zoe Mills
Hundreds filled Houhoupiko/Showgrounds Park in Gisborne on the weekend for the senior Tamaroro, Tairawhiti’s regional kapa haka competition.
In the event’s 74th year, 17 rōpū (teams) competed for a spot at the national finals, Te Matatini, in 2027.
Winner of the 2024 and 2025 Tamararo events, Waihīrere, successfully defended their title, securing a spot at Te Matatini in 2027.
Waihīrere captivated the crowd with perfectly executed harmonies and flawless synchronicity. The winners received roaring applause from the packed crowd after each item.
Waihīrere will be joined by Whāngārā Mai Tawhiti, Te Hokowhitu A Tū and Hikurangi.
David Jones is one of the four newly appointed trustees of the Tairāwhiti Cultural Development Trust, the regional entity for kapa haka. He said Tamararo was “growing year after year”.
“I just love the whānau atmosphere every time. Being at Tamararo is being at home.
“You get to see our young ones and our older ones performing together. You see family standing, you hear stories from communities. It’s a way for our communities to be together, stand together and be proudly who we are.”
The trust supports the senior Tamararo, the primary and intermediate competitions.
“Haka is part of life. We say haka is life, and life is haka … haka is an expression of who we are. It’s an expression of our environment and everything that comes with it."
The senior Tamararo event has produced multiple national champions over the years. Waihīrere are five-time national titleholders, and Whāngārā Mai Tawhiti are two-time titleholders.
Hinetautope Collier-Wilcox stood with Ngā Morehu on Saturday. At 90 years old, she was one of the oldest performers this year.
Collier-Wilcox was brought up learning kapa haka at Pākiriri marae in Tokomaru Bay.
“I was lucky because I had a mother who encouraged us to always sing and keep up with the Māori traditions … we were quite well known as entertainers.”
While living in Auckland, she joined the Auckland Anglican Māori Club, led at the time by Sir Kīngi Īhaka.
She has called Tairāwhiti home for the past 40 years. The performer said kapa haka “really brings family together”. She had cousins in “nearly every group” performing on Saturday.
For some, their Tamararo journey was just getting started.
Kerima Jaye King (Ngāti Kahungunu) is a first-time competitor from Pakipaki, Hawke’s Bay, who stood with Tū Te Manawa Maurea.
She said “I feel like it went good ... I liked the wātea and the poi”.
King also came to support her cousin, Shayden, who stood with Whāngārā Mai Tawhiti, and her uncle, Chance, who stood with Waihīrere.
“It means a lot” to her that her brothers, Taylor Te Huia and Tanekaha Te Huia-Harmer, and best friend Lani Kawana Nikora came to support her.
Nikora (Ngāti Kauranga ki Heretaunga) said watching her best friend perform made her feel “a whole lot of emotion”.
“Her brothers shed the tears for me. I was so proud of her.”
As a first-time attendee, Nikora called the event “fantastic”.
“This is like a whole different world … it’s so fantastic to see everybody support each other."
Representatives from Te Pāti Māori and the Green Party were also present.
Hayley Maxwell, Te Pāti Māori’s Ikaroa-Rāwhiti candidate, took on the role of being one of the hosts for this year’s competition.
Having previously competed at Tamararo with multiple rōpū, she said “it’s important for political parties, for political candidates, to be present at big kaupapa like this ... the more visibility, the better, for our people to have options and to meet the candidates who are standing in both the general and the Māori rolls”.
“[Tamararo] means wellbeing for our Māori community, for our Māori mokopuna, for the future generations of Te Tairāwhiti.”