Te Maurea Whiritoi Kapa Haka - Tainui Kapa Haka Festival 2015

It was a performance that absolutely delivered on Tutor Matua Toti West’s promise that it would be the best ever effort at the Tainui Kapa Haka Festival held for the first time at Claudelands Events Centre last Saturday. The group Te Maurea Whiritoi, composed of HBHS and HGHS students, won the categories of Mōteatea, Waiata-ā-ringa and Te Reo. Their efforts secured them second place overall, and the right to represent the Tainui Region alongside Ngā Taiātea Wharekura, Tai Wānanga and Te Wharekura o Rākaumangamanga in the 2016 National Competition to be held at Heretaunga. What makes this accomplishment so impressive is that the Tainui Region is traditionally very strong in all aspects of Kapa Haka and in order to qualify for the National Competition you frequently have to compete against defending National Champion teams, past and present at regional level to make the grade.
The item pictured here is the waiata-ā-ringa that the group dedicated to those who have passed on before their time.