Kapa Haka teams head North for contest

2 August 2012

Hato Paora College, Feilding, were placed third in the waiata a ringa section of the national kapa haka contest Nga Kura Tuarua (Secondary Schools) Kapa Haka held July 24 to 27.

And Hato Paora was adjudged 13th overall in the 42-team, four-day gathering in Whangarei.

Newcomers Nga Maioha o te Rangikauia which combined students from St Mary’s, St Patrick’s Kilbirnie, St Catherine’s and Te Wharekura o Nga Mokopuna were 16th.

Te Ngakau o te Awa of Cullinane College Whanganui were 25th overall and ninth in the poi. The team was delighted with this ‘best result’ in five years, tutor Kamaka Manuel said.

Year 13 St Catherine’s student Jasmine Governor said she had enjoyed being immersed in Māori culture during the Māori Language Week meeting. ‘Throughout our journey I’ve learned heaps of new kupu, waiata and history and I’ve become culturally and spiritually strengthened.’ Jasmine said.

As well as their kura, team members felt they represented their tipuna, iwi, whanau and the tutors.

The 33 students in Te Huatai Katorika of Lower Hutt came from St Bernard’s, Hutt Valley High and Sacred Heart College. Tupu Williams who travelled with the group said the event was ‘brilliant’ and the group did ‘really well’.

Otaki Te Rahui Kura combined three schools from Otaki including three people from St Mary’s Parish.

The annual gathering of kapa haka teams has gathered momentum as teams strive for increasingly high standards. The winner on the day was te kotahitanga with young people getting together and strengthening their whanau connections.

Images, from top: Nazerene Maunsell-Paea, Tiarna-Lee Jacobs, Te Ariana Henry, Manarangi Mua, Parekura Tutua-Nathan and Manuhuia Ward and Sahara Borell (obscured) from Nga Maioha o te Rangikauia.

Teariki Goodwin-Nonu, Nazerene Maunsell-Paea, Reimana Prescott, Rebecca Moriarty, Ezekiel Taiapa, Manarangi Mua (kaea), Te Amoraki Rickus (kaea), Tiarna-Lee Jacobs, Jordan Governor (kaea), Parekura Tutua-Nathan, Te Ariana Henry, Sahara Borell and Jakarna Eagle.

Sahara Borell, Summah Te Kahika-Heemi, Heremaia Tapiata-Bright, Te Ariana Henry, Jasmine Governor, Teariki Goodwin-Nonu, Tauawhi Bonilla, Richard Kobiti-Hiko and Ezekiel Taiapa.