It's a real family affair for Te Arawa kapa haka group Nga Uri o Te Whanoa - they say their bond helps them perform more closely as a group.
Group co-tutor Donna Grant said preparation for this month's national kapa haka competition, Te Matatini in Gisborne, was almost complete.
"Excitement for the forthcoming competition abounds within the ranks and the selection to represent Te Arawa in this national forum is a responsibility foremost in everyone's hearts and minds,'' Mrs Grant said.
The group was set up in 2007 for the Te Arawa 21s and is made up of some of Rotorua's most well-known names in kapa haka and entertainment circles _ the Morrison, Maxwell, Mitchell and Grant families.
The group's two other tutors are Howard Morrison Jnr and Kahurangi Maxwell, who is also the group's kaitataki wahine (female leader). Kaitataki tane (male leader) is Anaru Grant.
"Unlike many hapu-based roopu, Nga Uri o Te Whanoa draws our guidance from a whanau puna (family resource). The source of this strength left from the legacy of our late patriarch Sir Howard Morrison, and our aunty and mentor, Atareta Maxwell.''
For a recently-formed group Mrs Grant said they had a lot of experience to call on.
"The experience of our senior members and the collective commitment to practise, practise, practise have helped the group to qualify for the national competitive forum that is, Te Matatini,'' she said.
Other groups representing Te Arawa at Matatini in Gisborne are Manaia, Te Mataarae i o Rehu, Ngati Rangiwewehi and Tuhourangi-Ngati Wahiao, with four of the five Te Arawa groups performing on the last day of competition before the finals.
- Te Matatini, the national kapa haka championships, are being held in Gisborne between February 17 and 20.
