Hip hop causes problems at Palmerston North kapa haka festival

A hiccup over hip hop is threatening to blight a national kapa haka festival to be held in Palmerston North in February.

The city council has given organisers a $25,000 subsidy to host the event and the Government has contributed $1.1 million.

But five groups from the Rotorua tribe Te Arawa have pulled out after festival organisers included hip hop and other art forms in the contest.

A two-time winner of the competition, Ngati Rangiwewehi, a group that includes actor Temuera Morrison, is one team not competing.

"We don't believe the organisation is heading in the right direction and we've been frustrated in trying to get our point across," said Te Arawa spokesman John Turi.