Congratulations Te Matatini

Wednesday, 11 March 2015, 11:30 am
Press Release: Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Inc

Congratulations Te Matatini

Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated would like to congratulate Te Matatini Kapa Haka Aotearoa, the Waitaha Cultural Council, Ngai Tahu and all of the many organisers of Te Matatini 2015 for executing an absolutely awesome premier cultural event, Te Matatini 2015, the world’s largest celebration of Māori traditional performing arts.

We congratulate the overall winning team ‘Te Whanau a Apanui’ for their absolutely awesome performance. We also congratulate all of the Kapa Haka groups for their hardwork and effort. This event would not be successful without the passion of our people who work tirelessly to maintain and uphold our culture, our reo and our Tikanga.

Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated is pleased with our Kahungunu teams, Te Rerenga Kōtuku, Pareārau, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Heretaunga and Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Ranginui for competing and representing our iwi at the Te Matatini National Kapa Haka competition. We acknowledge and congratulate all of the performers, the leaders, the helpers and their families for giving of their time to uphold our culture and represent our iwi.

Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi now has the challenge to prepare to host the next Te Matatini event to be held in Hawkes Bay in February 2017.

The Te Matatini Mauri was handed over to Kahungunu during the closing ceremony. This occasion was made extra special as the Mauri was received by Ariki Huata, son of the late Tama Huata, former Ngāti Kahungunu Runanga Arts & Culture Board Chairman.

The Mauri has begun its journey on the iwi owned doubled hulled sailing waka ‘Te Matau a Māui’ sailed by the Te Matau a Māui Voyaging Trust. The waka will stop at Te Whanganui-a-Tara (this afternoon), where the mauri will be welcomed and transported by road to Wairarapa, followed by Tamaki nui-a-Rua, Tamatea, Heretaunga, Te Whanganui-a-Orotū, Wairoa and then Tauranga Moana, before returning to Heretaunga ahead of the Kahungunu event being held in 2017.

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