HOP onto an Auckland Transport (AT) wrapped bus with a limited-edition card to attend Te Matatini Herenga Waka Herenga Tangata National Kapa Haka Festival 2023.

If you're planning on going to Te Matatini, why not take the waka to the haka? Or the pahi to the poi? Travel on bus and train services is included with your festival ticket.

Te Matatini is the leading event for kapa haka and Māori performing arts, held every two years to showcase and celebrate all things kapa haka. This year’s festival is being held from 22 February to 25 February at Ngā Ana Wai Eden Park.

AT has five newly ‘wrapped’ buses out on the network across Tāmaki Makaurau celebrating kapa haka and supporting the festival.

Each of the buses showcases a member of the five kapa haka groups from across Tāmaki Makaurau, competing at Te Matatini.

Te Matatini-inspired kapa haka lights have also been installed at the two iconic rainbow crossings on Karangahape Road, located outside St Kevins Arcade and Coco’s Cantina.

AT Head of Māori Engagement Lillian Tahuri says: “We are proud to be highlighting some of the fantastic kapa haka performers who will be competing, and we encourage everyone to use public transport as a fantastic way to get to and from the festival.

“AT is thrilled to embrace and celebrate te ao Māori. This initiative is another step, along with the recent introduction of bilingual audio announcements and signage across our public transport network.”

The five buses feature images of performers from the following kapa haka groups from across Tāmaki Makaurau:

1. Ngā Tūmanako (the most recent winners of Te Matatini)
2. Angitū
3. Te Roopū Manutaki
4. Te Taha Tū
5. Te Waka Huia

The limited edition AT HOP cards celebrate the arrival of Te Matatini to Tāmaki Makaurau. They are now available at Auckland Transport customer service centres across Tāmaki Makaurau.

The new AT HOP cards come in two different designs featuring kaihaka (performers) from Ngā Tūmanako - the champions of Te Matatini 2019 and one of the many kapa haka representing Tāmaki Makaurau this year at Ngā Ana Wai Eden Park.

For the first time, both card and packaging have been printed exclusively in te reo Māori.

The limited edition AT HOP cards cost $5 - with a minimum $1 top-up - and function the same as a standard blue AT HOP card. Top up your card online before you travel, and tag on and off an AT service to pay for your fare.

Visit https://at.govt.nz/bus-train-ferry/events/te-matatini/ for event journey planning.

© Scoop Media