Australia-based Kapa Haka Rōpū Finds Home On Polyfest Māori Stage

Saturday, 5 April 2025, 5:37 pm
Article: RNZ

Layla Bailey-McDowell, Māori News Journalist

An Australian-based kapa haka is helping Māori and Pasifika students reconnect with their whakapapa, while lifting their confidence and success in and out of the classroom.

Te Puna Mataatahi - a haka rōpū from Keebra Park State High School on the Gold Coast - made its debut on the ASB Polyfest stage, marking a massive milestone for its kura and tauira.

Kapa haka tutor and kaiako Dean Harawira said the initiative began when he was asked by the school's principal to engage students beyond the rugby field.

"I just said, 'That's easy, start teaching them their culture and they'll start coming.'"

Keebra Park State High School is known to be a high-level rugby league kura in Australia, having produced big NRL stars like Benji Marshall, Reese Walsh, Payne Haas and David Fifita.

Harawira said because of that they have a very large population of Māori and Pasifika students.

"The main goal for these Māori and Pacific kids is to try to get a NRL contract. So, they were having a wee bit of trouble with engagement, because, you know, our kids just wanted to play rugby league."

Harawira introduced a kapa haka program that started with a pilot class of year sevens in Term 3 of 2023.

The pilot was so successful, the school asked him to extend the program across all junior grades, and later into the senior levels, even awarding senior students eight points toward their Queensland Certificate of Education.

"For the school, they're starting to see some results. They're starting to see transformation in the kids, not only in their self-esteem and their confidence, but also in their attendance, in their behavioural changes and academic."

He said interest among tauira is at an all-time high, with the school having to cap class numbers due to demand and a growing waitlist.

"It's been really overwhelming, but it's been a beautiful journey to watch the transformation of these kids."

A journey of firsts

Many students, born in Australia or raised there from a young age, had little to no connection with their te ao Māori culture.

Harawira said for some, it was their first time on a plane. For most, it was their first time staying on a marae. And for all, their first time performing on a haka stage.

"Before I started this class, a hundred percent of them had never done kapa haka before, and they're about to walk into and perform at Polyfest, the biggest secondary school, Polynesian festival, cultural festival in the world.

"It's a bit of a leap in a bound, but they're ready for it. They're hungry for it."

Harawira said that the transformation was evident during a recent dress rehearsal, when parents saw their children in full kākahu.

"There wasn't a dry eye in the house.

"It was just very emotional. Not only for our kids, but for their parents - finally being able to connect their kids with their culture."

A full-circle moment

MelefauTau'a'alo, a Tongan mother of two performers, said returning to Aotearoa to support them was emotional

"I grew up here in New Zealand and so I went to primary and high school here. I learnt and sang Māori songs and was a part of the groups. So, coming back and bringing my children, it's an amazing experience because now I want them to experience what I went through as a child."

Tau'a'alo also performed at Polyfest as a rangatahi, and she said it was exciting to see her tamariki do the same.

"I performed in the Samoan group and the Tongan group. But I always went to go to the Māori stage 'cause I just found there's different type of energy there. And I'm so glad that my children who are non-Māori are actually here in the kapa group and they can be part of it."

Tau'a'alo said that in Australia, her children are disconnected from their culture.

"This is the centre of Polynesia, and I love my children to be part of that."

She said it was a long time coming for the rōpū, who have put in the hard mahi to get to this point.

"We've travelled so far to get here ... And I feel like our group have earned that right to be on that stage. They've studied and they've practised so hard."

"They're gonna represent our school and represent Polynesians and Māori back in Australia."

'It means the world to us'

For the tauira of Te Puna Mataatahi, performing at ASB Polyfest as kids who grew up overseas has been a deeply emotional experience - one they said has brought them closer to their whakapapa.

Manukura Wāhine, Kalani, said returning to Aotearoa and embracing her culture has been a dream come true.

"I've always wanted to do this since I was young. I grew up watching kapa haka and always dreamed of being on that stage."

"It's such a warming experience - to be here with my whānau and friends supporting me."

Year 9 student Karori Steadman said this is her first time returning to her whenua, making her Polyfest debut even more meaningful.

"I've never really connected to my roots. Since I was born in Australia, I don't have much family over there to show me my culture."

"It makes me emotional, thinking we've actually made it here. I'm just really excited to express my culture - I love seeing kapa haka groups and being part of this."

She and her classmates agreed that their favourite part of kapa haka was "expressing our pūkana".

Kaya Gerretzen and Brooklyn Lavender, both Year 9 students, said standing on the Polyfest stage was a proud moment.

"Most of my family lives here, so being able to perform in front of them is special," Gerretzen said.

For Lavender, the experience has deepened her connection to her culture.

"I feel more a part of my culture being here than I do in Australia. It's just more comforting to see my people."

Josiah Ioane and Zadius said kapa haka has been a powerful way to reconnect with te ao Māori while living in Australia.

"The best part is representing our culture and having fun with the boys," Ioane said.

"I love performing - just coming together and enjoying it."

For Zadius, who has spent most of his life in Australia, coming home to perform at Polyfest has been heart-warming.

"When we're in Aus, we miss home sometimes. But through kapa haka - it reconnects us."

A bracket with a message

Harawira said Te Puna Mataatahi's bracket was crafted with contemporary issues impacting Aotearoa and te iwi Māori in mind.

"I've been keeping up with what's going on, especially with the government over here - our bracket is about our young people standing up."

Their haka acknowledges the growth of kōhanga reo and kura kaupapa while challenging recent political shifts.

"We now have a whole generation of fluent Māori speakers, and yet there's a government trying to take our reo away. We are well aware of what's going on over here and, and we've written our bracket around a lot of that."

Their waiata tira is a dedication to the late Kiingi Tūheitia, while their poi and waiata-ā-ringa honour wāhine toa like Dame Whina Cooper and the leadership of Māori women.

"Our action song is about young people forging their own paths, rather than being dictated to by Pākehā."

Their whakawātea reflects on social media's hidden dangers.

"It talks about the influence of social media on our kids and how it's becoming a bit of a taniwha - because it's quite hidden. So, we wanted to bring it to light."

Given it's their first time at Polyfest, Harawira hopes to return, making this haerenga an annual event.

"If we can, we already have the numbers to grow the group."

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