Te Poho o Hinekahukura, a kapa haka whose first stand was at this year’s Tāmaki Makaurau kapa haka regional competition, has secured a place at Te Matatini in New Plymouth next year.
Under the tutelage of skilled kapa haka exponent Jeff Ruha, the team has secured a spot in the kapa haka nationals, paying homage to many Māori matriarchs who fought for the survival of Te Ao Māori in Aotearoa.
Beyond his skill and expertise, Ruha he is eager to share the prowess of Māori matriarchs who fought for the survival of language and customs.
“Ko te wawata, ka whakamārama atu ki te iwi ko wai tō mātau kuia a Hinekahukura, a Aunty June. Kāre anō tētahi kapa, pērā i a Manutaki e whakanuia a Papa Pita, te Waka Huia whakanuia a Koro Ngāpō. Ko taku hiahia, ko taku moemoeā ka whakanuia taku kōka, kei te ora tonu ia kei waenganui i a tātau.”
(The aspiration was to let everyone know who our Nanny Hinekahukura is, Aunty June. Not one group, the likes of Manutaki who celebrate Papa Pita, Te Waka Huia who celebrate Koro Ngāpō. What I wanted, my ultimate dream was to celebrate my aunty, who continues to live within us all.)
Community leader, education stalwart and former sportswoman Dame June Mariu is the centrepiece of Te Poho o Hinekahukura and it is she who was celebrated this year.
Auckland groups thanked
Along with the words of gratitude for some of Māoridom’s matriarchs, haka groups from Auckland were also thanked for being stalwarts and revitalising kapa haka during this stand.
“Ko te rōpū Manutaki tēnā e whakatō te kākano ki roto i ngā kapa katoa i roto i a Tāmaki. Te Puru o Tāmaki, Ngā Tūmanako, Te Rautahi anō hoki. Mei kore ko te rōpū Manutaki kua kore ko mātau o Tāmaki ka wikitōria ngā kapa e toru,”
(Te Rōpū Manutaki laid the seed in all groups across Auckland. Te Puru o Tāmaki, Ngā Tūmanako also Te Rautahi. If it wasn’t for Te Rōpū Manutaki, we in Tāmaki wouldn’t have seen three winners.)
Te Poho o Hinekahukura is a new group on the kapa haka stage and it was estimated that 80% of its performers were also new to standing on the stage. Ruha says despite them being new to the stage of Tānerore and Hineteiwaiwa, they are not shy when it comes to Māori aspects of life.
“E mea ana te kōrero, he tauhou rātau ki te tū i te papa tūwaewae engari kāre rātau i te tauhou ki te ao māori. Whakakaha tēnā ahi, mōhiotia ngā kaihaka ki te reo māori, mōhiotia rātau ki te mahi ki roto i ngā marae, mōhiotia rātau ki te mau tī taora ki roto i te kīhini, ko te ao haka tēnā. E tipu ake rātau ki roto ki tēnā momo āhuatanga, ko te ao haka tēnā. ko te papa tūwaewae he 1% tēnā. Ko te terenga mai i te tīmatanga tae atu rā ki te papa tūwaewae, he oranga kei roto.”
Help for whānau
(As it goes, they may be new to standing on stage but not when it comes to things in Te Ao Māori. So we kindled that fire. Our performers know how to speak Māori, they know what to do on the marae, they know how to use a tea towel in the kitchen, those are all a part of kapa haka. They grew up in that environment, it is a part of kapa haka. Standing on stage that’s only 1%. The entire campaign from start to when you stand on stage, there is a sustenance in that.)
Te Poho o Hinekahukura placed fifth at the Tāmaki Makaurau regionals this year and has qualified to represent the region at Te Matatini.
Ruha says if Te Matatini were to take place over a week so all 55 qualifying teams can stand, they also need to focus on whānau.
“Ko te mea nui ki a au, ka tū ngā kaihaka, ka tū ngā rōpū hai whai rongoā mā ngā tamariki, mō ngā whānau e noho ana ki te toimaha hārukiruki o te tangata. He oranga tēnei te ao haka, mēnā he rima rā ko taku tono ki Te Matatini, ia rā ka tū he kaupapa hai oranga mō tātau te iwi māori.”
(The main thing for me, every performer stands, every group stands as a remedy for our children and whānau who face extreme hardships. The world of haka is sustenance. If there is to be five days, I ask Te Matatini to create an event every day for all Māori.)