Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Te Hui Ahurei Celebrates Tūhoe Identity
18 April 2025
A dawn pōwhiri kicked off the country's longest running iwi festival in the Bay of Plenty with at least 20,000 expected to attend over Easter weekend.
Te Hui Ahurei ā Tūhoe is underway in Waimana where descendants of the iwi from across the country will converge to celebrate their unique identity through haka and sport.
34 senior and junior kapa haka teams are set to compete over the weekend, with tamariki launching performances on Friday.
The deputy chair of the organising committee Rangiriri Rangihau said Te Hui Ahurei provided a space for Tūhoe to cultivate traditional values as a people.
She said the popularity of the event had grown steadily over the years, and this year a Tūhoe contingent had returned from Australia to participate.
"Te Aho Taitua is the junior group, they are led by Te Teira Davis, he's been in Australia for over 20 years, and he's seen the population of Tūhoe grow massively. He was also wanting to come back home, for the tamariki especially he wanted to bring them back here to instill some tikanga in tamariki o Tūhoe being raised over there."
Te Hui Ahurei a Tūhoe was first established in 1971 to address the impact of urbanisation and assimilation policies of the government on Tūhoe.
Tūhoe elders established the festival as part of an intergenerational strategy that would support the ability of Tūhoe to revitalise and reconnect future generations with their homeland reo and tikanga.
Rangihau said the Tūhoe festival had always incorporated compulsory competition items unique to the iwi.
There is always one specific Tūhoe mōteatea that every group must perform every two years. This year it is 'Moe Hurihuri', composed by the prophet Rua Kenana while imprisoned in Mount Eden jail.
"Kind of appropriate at this time when we are a state of continuing to fight oppression with movements like Toitū Te Tiriti. Rua Kenana led our people in standing against oppression he instilled that spirt in all of us."
The festival will run throughout Easter weekend with senior groups performing tomorrow.
Rangihau said the forecast for wild weather had been considered carefully in planning and preparing the venue, but it had not hampered plans
The full programme and further information can be found here.
RNZ
New Zealand's public broadcaster, providing comprehensive NZ news and current affairs, specialist audio features and documentaries.
Radio New Zealand is a Crown entity established under the Radio New Zealand Act 1995. Radio New Zealand News are vital elements in our programming, providing impartial news and information to New Zealanders every day. Radio New Zealand (RNZ) provides listeners with exciting and independent radio programmes in accordance with the Radio New Zealand Charter.
Rachelle Martin & Kaaren Mathias, The Conversation: 1 In 6 New Zealanders Is Disabled. Why Does So Much Health Research Still Exclude Them?
Athletics New Zealand: Connor Bell Breaks NZ Discus Record (Again)
Tertiary Education Union: UCOL Cuts Will Cause Lasting Damage
National Library Of New Zealand: Kate De Goldi Named Te Awhi Rito Reading Ambassador For Aotearoa
Hikoi for Health: Healthcare Crisis Drives Cross-Country Protest | Hīkoi For Health Set To Begin
University of Auckland: New Zealand Professor's Paper Is One Of Century's Most-Cited