Sense of community shines
The swish of poi, the glide of patu and the challenge of rā kau was on display at the Regent Theatre yesterday.
Six kura (schools) were competing in the Ko Whiri Tika Mai regional kapa haka qualifier for two places at the national final in 2023.
‘‘Everyone is hungry to get back into it,’’ said Tema Hemi, the event MC.
The Regent was full of proud friends and family, and the event was livestreamed by Kia Ora FM.
In a moment that captured the heart of the event, Hemi performed an impromptu waiata, leading to an audience singalong that merged into Bob Marley’s Don’t Worry About a Thing.
A panel of 13 judges had the difficult task of determining the winners with required performance elements including poi, haka and waiata.
‘‘It’s quite difficult to judge at this level because we know how much effort the students and kaiako [teachers] have put into it,’’ convenor Rawiri Tinirau said. ‘‘Often it comes down to the smaller things.’’
Palmerston North Intermediate Normal School performed six compositions involving students singing and dancing using poi, patu – a handheld club traditionally made from hardwood whalebone or pounamu – and rā kau, a weapon designed for hand-tohand combat.
Principal Hamish Ruawai said the group had been practising for about three months. The competition had fallen the same week as their school production, School of Rock, which got an international shout-out from Jack Black.
Central Normal School was not participating this year, but students came along in support.
Their team leader, Melissa Seumanu, said it was inspiring for pupils to see the performances, and to see previous students of the school up on stage.
‘‘The skills involved in creating brilliant performances take a lot of people,’’ she said.
A recent report from leading Mā ori academics found there was a foundational aspect to kapa haka and it was pivotal to the ‘‘flourishing of Te Ao Mā ori into the future’’.
The schools competing were College Street Normal School, Monrad Te Kura Waenga o Tirohanga, Palmerston North Intermediate Normal School, Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Manawatū , North Street School in Feilding and Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Mana Tamariki.
A number of prizes were awarded, and Monrad Te Kura Waenga o Tirohanga and Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Manawatū were selected to compete at the nationals in Nelson next year.