Te Ringa kaha show their skills
Despite being a “best-kept secret” a crowd of over 300 collected to watch Te Ringa kaha in dress rehearsal at the Dannevirke Sports Centre 6pm on Sunday February 9.
They were astonished and hugely proud, some saying Tamaki Nui a Rua has not seen the like in over 50 years.
Firstly an entertainment group of 40 which had only been together for two practices entertained setting the scene for what was to come. Then in a halfhour of integrated choreography, poi, haka, waiata and weaponry use the sports stadium resounded to chant and song as 40 athletes strutted their stuff, stunning the audience.
Te Ringa kaha is one of nine groups performing in the Rangitane Tangata Rau Regional competition on Saturday 29 February at the Regent Theatre, Palmerston North.
This is the first time that a group from Tamaki Nui a Rua has entered in such a contest.
To qualify would mean a place in the Te Matatini nationals.
“The first muster was held in May 2019, followed by fortnightly, then weekly learning two-hour sessions until the end of the year,” Committee member Ataneta Paewai says.
In 2020 practices stepped up to twice a week, three weekend trainings — Friday night to Sunday afternoon — and several one-day training camps.
About 99 per cent of members are new to regional kapa haka competition.
Experienced performers have participated in regional and national Te Matatini competitive levels as members of groups from outside Tamaki Nui a Rua.
In 2019 they decided to return home to Dannevirke and grow a group themselves.
Tutors Wharemako Paewai (male leader) and Troy Tawhai, with female lead and tutor Zenna
Gatonyi Hepi-Te Huia have worked hard with the group, teaching new material, choreography, poi and weaponry use, as well as designing the group logo.
A committee has worked hard in the background raising funds, organising venues, transport, costumes, musical instruments, props, timetables, fee collections, weekend, weekly and one-day training bookings, catering and organising the recent dress rehearsal, which was well supported by the local community and wha¯ nau of performers.
The costume has been designed using the colours reflecting the local history of the land.
Original compositions by group members headed by Wharemako Paewai takes listeners on a journey of our district and its distinctive history pertaining to waka, the land, stories, lost loved ones and wharenui, all grounded in genealogy through to the present day.
“The bracket displays the depth of responsibility that tangata whenua have when charged with this knowledge and an appreciation of its survival into the future.
“Te Ringa Kaha is looking towards the future through the eyes of our rangatahi through a sustainable Ma¯ ori performing arts project meeting local needs.” Te Ringa Kaha philosophy is:
• To promote cultural connection through the medium of Ma¯ ori performing arts with a unique emphasis on the language, customs and protocols of Rangitane.
• To teach, revive and showcase the history, legends, oral traditions, proverbs, phrases, vocabulary, tribal sayings and genealogy of Rangitane through Ma¯ ori performing arts.
• To normalise the use of Te Reo Ma¯ ori.
• To uplift Ma¯ ori people within Tamaki nui a Rua.
• To motivate the next generation to reach for the stars.
The group says the dress rehearsal has gone a long way to accomplishing some of these objectives with the competition yet to come in Palmerston North’s Regent February 29.
Tickets are on sale from TicketDirect — Adult $15, Child $8.