Kapa haka champs show a worthwhile journey

A rousing performance has won a Taranaki group top honours and a chance to contest the national kapa haka championships in 2017.

Te Ra o Te Uru, a combined group from Ngati Ruanui and Ngaruahinerangi, was one of 29 groups who took part in Te Huihuinga O Nga Tatarakihi O Taranaki, a Taranaki kapahaka competition for primary schools in Hawera on Friday.

Seven groups were vying for three places at the national contest in Gisborne.

Second placed were Te Kura o Waitara Rawhiti, from Waitara East and third placed Te Kura Takawaenga o Manukorihi, from Manukorihi Intermediate School.

Festival chairman John Niwa said he was impressed with the standard of the performances, held at Hawera’s TSB Hub.

‘‘One outstanding feature to me was the tutors and their commitment to supporting te reo Maori in the region. You could see the respect the children have for them,’’ Niwa said.

As one of the original founders of the competition, Niwa said it had been a long but worthwhile journey. The first time the event was held at Hawera, performers were outside on a stage constructed from pallets.

This year, the team of dedicated supporters remained the backbone of the event, but conditions were far better, with the performers on an international-sized stage for the first time.

‘‘The next step is to get schools to start writing their own songs, about their lives, what’s happening with their kids, the changes that are occurring in their lives,’’ he said.

‘‘That’s maybe the next step to keep it rolling along.’’

He said the winning groups would spend the next year getting ready for the national event.’’It’s like the Olympics, you are immediately starting again.’’