Opotiki Mai Tawhiti winning first place at the Mataatua Regional Kapa Haka Competition. SUPPLIED/ MAORI TELEVISON
Opotiki Mai Tawhiti winning first place at the Mataatua Regional Kapa Haka Competition. SUPPLIED/ MAORI TELEVISON
Eastern Bay kapa haka team Opotiki Mai Tawhiti are on their way to Te Matatini in Christchurch after a resounding win at the Mataatua Regional Kapa Haka competition.
The group beat 16 other teams when they performed at the ASB Baypark Arena in Tauranga on Saturday.
Opotiki Mai Tawhiti placedfirst in nine of the 11 categories which were the te reo, male and female leaders, kakahu, waiata tira, moteatea, waiata-a-ringa, haka and whakawatea.
Female leader Anameka Pirini said a lot of hard work had gone into their performance which they dedicated to their whanau member Katerina Maxwell, who died last year, and to all their loved ones who had passed away.
"We started practising the week after New Year's and met every weekend. We had whanau travel from Wellington, Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua, Kawerau and here [Opotiki].
"Going into a competition you always want to put your best foot forward and all the roopu work hard, we acknowledge that. But we left the stage feeling good about our performance and knowing there wasn't much more that we could have done," she said.
"There was a lot of support for us in the crowd from Opotiki, it was a sea of green, which is our roopu colour which was uplifting for us."
The group will advance to Te Matatini, the national competition, held in Christchurch in March next year. Also qualifying from the competition were Te Whanau a Apanui, Ruatahuna Kakahu Mauku and Tutara Kauika ki Rangataua.
