Kapa haka groups have had to earn their spot at the regional competition, vying for the title of Te Toa Ihu Waka – the overall regional winner.
"These campaigns are no easy feat," says Whaiapu.
"They are gruelling, they are long, and they are tough – only the very fittest among us last the four to six-month preparation time required to compete at this level.
"In this arena, kapa haka is the be-all, and end-all of everything."
Supported by the Palmerston North City Council's Arts Event Fund, the regional senior kapa haka competition is a qualifier for Te Matatini National Kapa Haka and will draw participants and spectators from the city and lower North Island.
The Arts Event Fund has helped organisers access judges who are expert in all aspects of Māori culture.
"From composers to both ex and current performers, they are exponents at the top of their fields.
"The fund has helped us to raise the bar and change the game because of it," Whaiapu says.
The Arts Event Fund supports national and regional arts events hosted in Palmerston North.
Applications are open in a contestable process throughout the year, until all funds have been allocated.
Find out more about the fund at www.pncc.govt.nz/council-city/community-funding/arts-event-fund/