Kapa Haka Maori Festival

A very big national event took place last week in Gisborne.   Te Matatini Te O Ra was the celebration and world championships of Kapa Haka.  Kapa Haka is a traditional dance/art form of the Maori, the native people of New Zealand. "kapa" means to stand in a row, "haka" means to dance.    Teams compete in a 30 minute performance.  The teams are made up of 24-40 members and are required to perform six disciplines, whakaeke (a choreographed entry),  moteatea (traditional chant), poi (raupo ball swung on an end of a flax cord), walat-a-ringa (action song), haka (dance),  and whaka watea (exit).  The above you tube video was not from the Te Matatini, the national kapa haka festival we saw, but I thought it might give you a little better understanding.

So,  Te Matatini (the many faces) was a four day festival, taking place out at a local outdoor amphitheater on vineyard estate.  I was very excited to go and see what this was all about as we had heard it would be drawing over 40,000 people over the four days.  Seeing we live in town of 35,000, it was a very big deal.   We decided to wait for the last day, when the finalists would be competing, the best of the best.  Also, they were going to attempt the world's largest haka and the Guinness Book of World Record people were there to document it.  Sounded like a pretty cool day.  Well, guess what, it was pouring rain from the time we woke up.  Miserable looking out.  Finally, around 10:30 am we just decided to go for it, that we would never get another chance to see anything like this.  Threw the raincoats on and packed up the beach umbrella.  We were taken on a shuttle (a trailer behind a van) thru a row of the vineyard, paid about 70 dollars, trudged around a muddy hill, and huddled down on a hillside with the masses, most tucked under tarps.  We watched the end of one performance and one whole 30 minute performance.  I loved it!! I thought is was very unique, beautiful, and powerful.  I think the kids enjoyed it as well but they didn't last so long in the rain and cold.  It was still worth it, and I am still a little bummed we didn't get to see more or do the world's largest haka.  But so glad we went.  Unfortunately we have no pictures of the day as photos were not allowed.   I have been trying to find footage, but this is the best I could do from You Tube.  Liam does do a pretty good kapa haka face, and next time you see him, ask him to do for you.  We still all giggle each time he does.