Waikato Herald
  • Waikato Herald home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Locations

  • Hamilton
  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Matamata & Piako
  • Cambridge
  • Te Awamutu
  • Tokoroa & South Waikato
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Weather

  • Thames
  • Hamilton
  • Tokoroa
  • Taumarunui
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Waikato News

Fresh faces and renowned veterans vie for top honours at Tainui kapa haka festival

NZ Herald
21 Apr, 2024 10:18 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Tainui is gearing up for a monumental Tainui Waka Kapa Haka Festival at the Globox Arena, Claudelands.

Tainui is gearing up for a monumental Tainui Waka Kapa Haka Festival at the Globox Arena, Claudelands.

Tainui is gearing up for a monumental Tainui Waka Kapa Haka Festival at the Globox Arena, Claudelands.

A record-breaking 22 kapa haka teams are confirmed to compete across two action-packed days on April 26-27. With free parking and koha (donation) entry, the scene is set to surpass all previous attendance records for this prestigious event.

This year’s festival welcomes back Mōtai Tangata Rau, a beloved team with Ngāti Raukawa lineage who return from hiatus since 2019. Their distinct brand of kapa haka adds a layer of excitement to the already electrifying line-up.

Heightening the anticipation are Te Kapa Haka o Ngā Pua o Te Kōwhara, Te-Pou-o-Mangataawhiri, and Te Iti Kahurangi, all returning to the stage fresh from captivating audiences at their Te Matatini 2023 national performances. Notably, Te-Pou-o-Mangataawhiri and Te Iti Kahurangi secured coveted finalist spots last year, raising the stakes even higher for this year’s competition.

Te Pou-o-Mangataawhiri will face a significant challenge this year as they aim to retain their regional champion title, a reign that began in 2018. Due to the Covid-19 disruptions, this year’s event marks the first opportunity in six years for other kapa haka to challenge their reign. This highly anticipated showdown promises a thrilling display of the enduring skill of Te Pou-o-Mangataawhiri and their competitors’ fierce determination.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Tainui will have record-breaking participation in the kapa haka competition.
Tainui will have record-breaking participation in the kapa haka competition.

Adding to the competitive fire are Te Pae Kahurangi, a new composite team formed from the legacy of renowned tutors Kingi Kiriona and Te Waipounamu Teinakore. Known for their innovative and powerful brand of kapa haka, Te Pae Kahurangi promise to be a force to be reckoned with on the competition stage.

Eyes will be on Hauraki Kōwhao Rau this year as they take the stage for the first time at the Tainui competitions. Historically, Hauraki has been the only Tainui region absent from these prestigious events. Led by Te Maharanui Mikaere and Te Puna Moanaroa, Hauraki Kōwhao Rau are poised to make a splash and challenge the established veterans for top honours.

The top six teams will secure the ultimate honour: a coveted spot at the pinnacle of kapa haka, the Te Matatini Festival, set to be held at Te Kāhui Maunga, Taranaki, next year. The Tainui Waka Kapa Haka Festival promises to be a fierce display of cultural excellence.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Beyond the captivating performances, the festival offers a vibrant marketplace experience. Ethnic kai stalls boasting all the street-food favourites, including the ever-popular kai Māori, are promised to tantalise the taste buds. This is also a fantastic opportunity to support kaupapa Māori businesses, with over 40 vendors showcasing a diverse range of art, taonga, kai, clothing, and more.

A record-breaking 22 kapa haka teams are confirmed.
A record-breaking 22 kapa haka teams are confirmed.

A partnership with the Te Ngakau-aa-Kiwa Trust gives life to the Hauora Hub, an initiative that aspires to support positive health outcomes for whānau. This comprehensive resource offers a collection of providers and initiatives designed to improve the holistic health of the local community.

Festival director Toti West attributes the unprecedented surge in participants to a recent rule change that encourages wider participation at the regional level. “The record-breaking participation is a testament to the renewed vigour of Tainui kapa haka,” says West. “It also reflects a nationwide trend that we hope future festivals will continue to cultivate, maximising the reach and influence of kapa haka, fostering cultural identity, and promoting positive health, economic, and holistic wellbeing outcomes for the wider community”.

Paraone Gloyne.
Paraone Gloyne.

Chairman Paraone Gloyne explains: “It’s always an exciting time when the Tainui competition comes around, not only for the participating kapa haka, but their support crew and whānau who have all contributed to getting them on stage to represent who they are and where they are from. Kapa haka can be a testing lifestyle, but it’s also life-changing; there are multitudes of people who have been inspired to connect with their marae, and learn te reo and tikanga Māori because of kapa haka. Our Tainui competition is an opportunity to unite, celebrate the stories of Tainui and champion our reo and tikanga through kapa haka.”

The Tainui Waka Kapa Haka Festival 2024 promises to be a spectacular display of cultural pride, power, and vibrant storytelling. Don’t miss this opportunity to witness the very best of Tainui kapa haka.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Waikato News

Waikato Herald

McDonald’s buys $8m landmark church to turn into restaurant

Sport

All Blacks v France third test: All you need to know

Waikato Herald

School community ‘deeply saddened’ after students killed in Waiuku triple-fatality


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Waikato News

McDonald’s buys $8m landmark church to turn into restaurant
Waikato Herald

McDonald’s buys $8m landmark church to turn into restaurant

Maccas returns to Hamilton CBD after 30-year hiatus.

18 Jul 03:30 AM
All Blacks v France third test: All you need to know
Sport

All Blacks v France third test: All you need to know

18 Jul 02:50 AM
School community ‘deeply saddened’ after students killed in Waiuku triple-fatality
Waikato Herald

School community ‘deeply saddened’ after students killed in Waiuku triple-fatality

17 Jul 10:09 PM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Waikato Herald e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Waikato Herald
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP