Kapa haka groups ready to perform

KAPA HAKA: Raukura (Rotorua Boys High and Rotorua Girls High Schools) at the National Kapa Haka Competition at the Rotorua Energy Events Centre in 2010. PHOTO/FILE

Rotorua's best school kapa haka groups will perform in front of hundreds of people in Napier tomorrow.

The National Secondary Schools Kapa Haka Competition 2016 began on Monday with 39 groups competing in three pools until Thursday.

Each pool is made up of 13 groups, with the top three in each pool going to a final performance on Friday.

Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Hurungaterangi teacher Hera Smith said eight students from Hurungaterangi would be competing today with Nga Kura Kaupapa Maori Te Puku o Te Ika-a-Maui.

"They've been practising for the last two or three months every Friday evening and every second weekend we had full weekend practises over Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

"They are very excited, they can't wait to take the stage."

She said it was an "eye opener" being at the competition as there were many talented groups and hundreds of people.

"It's all the groups who are the best in their region and they have all been working up to this moment."

For more information check out the website here.