30 Years On: Ngāti Rangiwewehi makes triumphant return to the Kapa Haka stage for ‘Golden Era’ concert 

It’s been 30 years after taking the national Kapa Haka title at the 1996 Aotearoa Traditional Māori Performing Arts Festival at Te Arawa Raceway Park, veteran performers from the famed kapa haka group Ngāti Rangiwewehi made a triumphant return to the stage over the weekend in Tāmaki Makaurau. 

Participating in the special “Golden Era” concert hosted by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, these seasoned performers stepped back into the spotlight to celebrate decades of excellence, honour past legends, and inspire upcoming generations of kaihaka.

“I didn’t think that it would ever happen within our lifetime that we could come back 30 years later with Te Rōpū Manutaki, with Waka Huia, with Waihirere, Auckland Anglican and Ngāti Whātua. Just, we are simply blessed,” Ngāti Rangiwewehi stalwart, Trevor Maxwell said. 

“It was our four groups that dominated that for 20-25 years at the time. So I think of Bub and Nan, I think of George Ria and Tangiwai. I saw my mate Tangiwai this morning. So it’s just everything like that, but just before we go on I’m getting things like the butterflies,” he said. 

“But no pressure, it’s not a competition but just the love we all have for each other.” 

Te aho tuku iho: Ka tū anō a Ngāti Rangiwewehi ki te atamira o te Whakapapa me te Ahurea

E hia kē ngā kaihaka ō mua o Ngāti Rangiwewehi ka tū tahi anō me Uncle Trev, ko Mercia Dawn Yates tētehi, ā,  ko tana tamāhine tētehi o ngā kaihaka o te wā nei. 

“He kapa ā whānau. Nō Rangiwewehi ahau i tōku Māmā, Whaeakēkē hoki i roto i te kapa, ara, kāore e kore ko tērā o ngā kare ā roto kia whai hoki i tōku uncle, super koro Trev,” hei tā Mercia Dawn Yates.

“Ara, i reira waku cousins a Don, a Howie, a Richie i taua wā. Jussy, Ricky boy, you know? He rawe ki te kite i a rātou. Me te tū hoki ki o rātou taha,” hei tāna anō.

He rangatahi tonu a Eraia Kiel i tana tū tuatahi, ka mutu tana mahi ārahi i te kapa haka o Te Kura Tuarua o Kaitao Rotohokahoka e kīa ana ko Te Rōpū Manaaki, ā ka whai tūranga ki te kapa pākeke o Ngāti Rangiwewehi. 

“He mea oranga wairua ka hoki ki te haramai ki tēnei kaupapa o Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei ki te whakanui i tēnei rā,” hei tā Eraia Kiel, kaihaka ō mua.

“Ko te tino whāinga kia mau tonu. Kia pupuritia ngā reanga e tupu mai ana ki ngā tikanga ki ngā uara i heke iho mai a ngā mātua tūpuna,a, ki ngā reanga e tupu mai ana,” hei tā Eraia anō.

“He maha te ngā iho pūmanawa i taua wā, ā, koinei hoki ngā ika ā whiro i tēnei wā.”