Bay of Islands College's Te Roopu o Peowhairangi perform at the Northland Secondary School Kapa Haka competition. Photo/Michael Cunningham
Bay of Islands College's Te Roopu o Peowhairangi perform at the Northland Secondary School Kapa Haka competition. Photo/Michael Cunningham
Huge crowds flocked to watch top young talent from Northland battle it out for a spot at the national secondary school kapa haka competition.
Thirteen schools from Te Tai Tokerau took to the stage at the Northland Secondary School Kapa Haka Competition at Whangarei Girls' High School on Saturday.
Whangarei schools Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Rawhitiroa and Te Kapehu Whetu were second and third while Kaitaia's Te Wharekura o Te Rangi Aniwaniwa secured first place.
Whangarei's Te Kapehu Whetu performing at the Northland Secondary School Kapa Haka Competition.
All three schools will go through to the nationals in Manawatu in 2018.
Crowds waited outside for hours for a chance to get into the venue to see the groups perform with MCs Luke Bird, Miss Kihi and Raniera Harrison entertaining the audience throughout the day.
The crowd couldn't wait to get into the Northland Secondary Schools Kapa Haka Competition, held at Whangarei Girls' High School, at the weekend. Photo / Michael Cunningham
The school hall was at full capacity and Te Kapehu Whetu attracted huge crowds with about 100 people unable to get in to watch them perform.
Their bracket was led by the empowering voice of Waimahana Henare as kaitataki wahine (female leader) in her last year performing for the roopu (group).
Tikipunga based kura Te Rawhitiroa, tutored by Matua Fred and Whaea Loreen Henare, performed a fierce haka and a won the sections for whakaeke (entrance), waiata-a-ringa (action song), whakawatea (exit item) and came first equal with Te Kapehu Whetu for kaitataki tane (male leader).
But it was Te Rangi Aniwaniwa who stole the show on the day impressing the judges and taking out kaitataki wahine, moteatea (traditional chants and songs), poi, haka and overall winner.
The award was presented to them by Whaea Wikitoria Makiha, wife of the late Te Kai Makiha, and had special significance because of his heavy influence and involvement with the kura.
Taonga for the event were donated by schools throughout the region.
Judge Daniel McGrath said one thing judges were looking for this year was enunciation and pronunciation.
"The standard had lifted from previous years. All competing groups had obviously trained extremely hard and represented their schools well and no doubt made their whanau proud."
