Te Pikikotuku o Ngāti Rongomai have taken the top honours at the highly competitive Te Arawa regional kapa haka competition in Rotorua, securing their place as regional champions and earning qualification for the next national festival.
The two-day event drew strong crowds and showcased the depth of talent within the Te Arawa kapa haka rohe. Around 27 groups performed across the competition, with thousands attending the event to support performers and celebrate Māori performing arts.
The regional competition is one of the key qualifying pathways to the national kapa haka festival, Te Matatini. Six groups from the Te Arawa region have secured spots to represent their rohe at Te Matatini 2027, which will be held at Hopuhopu in Waikato.
Te Pikikotuku’s victory follows a series of strong performances that impressed judges and audiences alike, reinforcing the group’s reputation as one of the leading kapa haka rōpū in the region. The competition itself highlighted both experienced performers and emerging talent, with many kapa bringing powerful storytelling, traditional waiata and haka to the stage.
The Te Arawa region has a proud kapa haka history and has achieved significant success at national level in recent years. At the 2025 Te Matatini festival, Te Arawa groups made history by securing the top two positions in the national competition.
For many performers, regional competitions are not only about qualifying for Te Matatini but also about strengthening connections to language, whakapapa and iwi identity through kapa haka.
With Te Pikikotuku now leading the region’s qualifiers, attention will begin turning toward preparations for Te Matatini 2027, where the best kapa haka groups from across Aotearoa will compete for the national title.
