Te Arawa dancing to own tune

Wetini Mitai-Ngatai is all kitted out for the competition. Photo / Daily Post

On the eve of their own competition, Te Arawa kapa haka exponents say they are in no hurry to get back to the country's premier competition.

Today will be the second time the Te Arawa 21s - where 13 teams perform with 21 members for 21 minutes - will be held in Rotorua.

It's an event that was born when five Te Arawa groups boycotted the national Te Matatini kapa haka festival in 2005. They were unhappy with the direction the competition was heading in, with hip hop becoming part of the package, as well as the financial management of the event. This year one team attended, but again, not a full contingent.

In short, their non-participation leaves a big hole in Te Matatini.

Veteran performer and organiser Anaru Grant said the event, at the Rotorua Events Centre, would still be a fierce competition, with a theme around honouring those leaders who had passed away since the last event two years ago.

It will start off jackpot style, with Lotto presenter Russell Harrison handling the draw that will decide the performance schedule after the powhiri.

But coming back to the national stage is still a way away for Te Arawa, Mr Grant said.

"We haven't committed to going back into the festival and the reason for that is we want to see some improvement. At the moment things are in bad shape."

That includes the festival running at a loss. Mr Grant wouldn't say exactly by how much except that the figure would be "a couple of hundred thousand plus some."

Te Matatini's sideshow events detracted from what should be a prestigious event, Mr Grant said.

"The choice of watching the group on stage or watching something else - that should never be put before people. It should always be about kapa haka."

National Te Matatini chairman Tama Huata said it was positive that Te Arawa had returned to the national committee. But if they were there participating and making decisions, they should be performing.

"The question I have for Te Arawa is, 'When are your regionals?"'

As for financial management being a reason the region should not take part, that justification did not hold up to close inspection, Mr Huata said.

"They were in the arenas [in the past] when the festival didn't run according to plan in terms of some of the financial outcomes. I don't see it as being a really relevant point."

The 21s are invitation-only. Eight teams from the iwi's district will compete, and the other five will from Auckland, Waikato (2), the East Coast and Wellington.

Event details

* Each team taking part in the Te Arawa festival has only 21 members instead of the usual 40.

* Performances will be at the Rotorua Energy Events Centre, Government Gardens.

* Tickets cost $15 for adults and $10 for children and senior citizens.

* Performances start at 9am. Proceeds from a charity gold coin collection will be give to the Rotorua Aroha Mai Cancer Support Group.