The Te Arawa Kapa Haka Regionals are back, and this year, they are bigger than ever. For the first time in the competition’s history, the biennial event has been moved to the expansive Rotorua International Stadium to accommodate record attendance and participation.
The move comes as the regionals’ organising committee confirmed nearly 3,000 tickets have been sold so far for the two-day event, with a staggering 1,000 kaihaka preparing to take the stage this Friday and Saturday.
This immense growth necessitated a shift from the usual indoor venue, the Rotorua Energy Events Centre, which can typically cater for about 4,000 people – a figure that would be easily surpassed with the addition of the 1,000 performers alone.
Te Arawa Kapa Haka Chair, Rangitihi Pene, said the shift is a powerful reflection of the community’s passion and the thriving state of kapa haka.
“This move to the Rotorua International Stadium is a huge moment for Te Arawa Kapa Haka. It’s a reflection of the phenomenal growth of our kapa haka and our people’s passion,” Pene said.
“To have nearly 3,000 tickets sold and 1,000 kaihaka ready to take the stage proves that our kaupapa is bigger than ever. We simply outgrew our old venue.”
Over two days on 13–14 March, 25 kapa haka rōpū from across the Te Arawa waka rohe, stretching from Maketū in the north to the slopes of Mt Tongariro in the south, will compete.
These regionals are where rōpū perform for the honour of representing Te Arawa at Te Matatini, the national kapa haka festival which will be held in Hopuhopu, Waikato next year.
Te Arawa currently boasts the reigning National Te Matatini champions, Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue, and second-placed Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Rangiwewehi.
Pene added that the increased scale only intensifies the competition. “Now, it’s time for our 25 rōpū to battle for the honour of representing Te Arawa at Te Matatini. We encourage everyone to come and witness the spectacle of our culture growing right before our eyes.”
How to Get Involved
Tickets: Are still available from Ticketmaster. Aukaha News will provide an update right here.
Broadcast: Te Arawa FM and Tūwharetoa On are the host radio broadcasters – tune into their FM frequencies throughout Te Arawa or via the Whare Kōrero App.
Live/On-Demand: You can watch all performances live or on-demand on Māori +.
Prize-giving: Te Arawa FM and their partners will be live-streaming the prize-giving this Saturday evening.
News: Aukaha News will bring you all the Te Arawa Kapa haka news and profiles.