Principal's pride as kapa haka group win

Winners Rotorua Intermediate School perform at the Te Arawa Primary Schools Regional Kapa Haka Competition. Photo / Thomas Falconer

A Rotorua school principal is over the moon his mainstream school came out on top of the Te Arawa Primary Schools Regional Kapa Haka Competition.

Garry de Thierry, of Rotorua Intermediate School, said it was testament to the hard work put in by the students and tutors that they were crowned winners ahead of total immersion kura.

Twelve schools competed to be named the overall winner. The top four schools will go to the national competition next year - joining Rotorua Intermediate will be Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Ruamata, Te Wharekura o Ngati Rongomai and Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Hurungaterangi, which finished second to fourth respectively.

The event was held at the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre on Saturday and was sold out for all sessions.

"We're over the moon," Mr de Thierry said. "The kura live the language and tradition 24/7 so this win reflects the quality of our tutors and dedication of our students."

He said he was proud of the win in the Te Reo section, which recognised the clarity of language.

"We're competing against kura who are speaking te reo in school. It's part and parcel of their normal school day so for us to get that clarity of language is amazing. I'm so proud of them."

The national competition is next year in Palmerston North.

See the Te Maori section in tomorrow's Rotorua Daily Post for more photos from the competition.

Results: Non-Aggregate: Waiata Tira: Whangamarino School and Rotorua Intermediate, 1st equal, Kaitao Middle School 3; Kaitataki Tane: Te Wharekura o Ngati Rongomai and Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Hurungaterangi, 1st equal, Rotorua Primary School 3; Kaitataki Wahine: Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Ruamata 1, Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Hurungaterangi and Kaitao Middle School 2nd equal; Nga Kakahu: Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Ruamata 1, Rotorua Intermediate School and Rotorua Primary School 2nd equal.

Aggregate (compulsory disciplines): Whakaeke: Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Ruamata 1, Te Wharekura o Ngati Rongomai 2, Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Hurungaterangi, 3; Waiata Tawhito: Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Ruamata 1, Te Kura o Te Koutu 2, Te Wharekura o Ngati Rongomai 3; Waiata-a-ringa: Kaitao Middle School 1, Whangamarino School and Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Hurungaterangi 2nd equal. Poi: Rotorua Intermediate School 1, Kaitao Middle School 2, Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Hurungaterangi and Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Ruamata 3rd equal; Haka: Te Wharekura o Ngati Rongomai 1, Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Hurungaterangi, Rotorua Intermediate School and Kaitao Middle School 2nd equal; Whakawatea: Te Wharekura o Ngati Rongomai 1, Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Ruamata 2, Rotorua Intermediate School 3; Te Reo: Rotorua Intermediate School and Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Ruamata 1st equal, Te Wharekura o Ngati Rongomai and Te Kura o Te Koutu 3rd equal.

Overall: Rotorua Intermediate School 1, Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Ruamata 2, Te Wharekura o Ngati Rongomai 3, Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Hurungaterangi 4.