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A touch of magic is how a leading expert sees the influence of people who have been through kōhanga and kura now entering the ranks of adult kapa haka.
The Tāmaki Makaurau regional competitions were held over the weekend, and Te Matatini representative Annette Wehi says the Aotea Centre was the hottest ticket in town.
Te Waka Huia emerged the winner, with four other west Auckland teams also heading for the national competition in Wellington next year – Ngā Tūmanako, Te Manu Huia, Te Taha Tū and Te Roopu Manutaki
The influx of adults who started their reo Māori journey in kōhanga reo has raised the standard of composition and performance.
"A very brand new roopu, Angitu, came sixth overall which is fantastic in a very strong rohe like Tāmaki. We have Ngā Tūmanako, they're the kanohi of Hoani Waititi Marae, the kōhanga their, the kura kaupapa, the wharekura, so we see all of this magic that has really come to frution form the vision of our people in the 70s and 80s who fought for our reo," Mrs Wehi says.
News of the death of Te Mātārae i Ōrehu leader Talei Morrison on Saturday morning led many of the groups to incorporate a tribute into their sets, and a large number of performers from the competition traveled to Rotorua on Sunday to accompany her tūpāpaku onto her marae at Ōhinemutu.
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