The countdown to Te Matatini o Ngā Taniwha 2027 is gathering momentum, with the upcoming live competition draw marking the next major milestone for what is widely regarded as the pinnacle of Māori performing arts.
Hosted by Te Kīngitanga, Waikato-Tainui and Te Whare Haka o Tainui Waka, the live draw will set the stage for the national kapa haka festival, which will be held at Hopuhopu, near Ngāruawāhia, in 2027.
For kapa haka groups across Aotearoa and Australia, the draw is more than a ceremonial occasion—it determines the performance order and officially begins the final preparations for one of the country’s largest cultural events.
Te Matatini Chief Executive Carl Ross says the festival continues to grow in both scale and significance, reflecting the enduring strength of kapa haka and te ao Māori.
Over recent years, Te Matatini has evolved into one of New Zealand’s largest cultural gatherings, attracting thousands of performers, judges, volunteers and supporters from throughout the country and overseas.
Ross says each festival demonstrates the vibrancy of Māori language, culture and identity while providing a national platform for excellence in haka, waiata, poi and traditional performance.
Beyond the competition itself, Te Matatini has become a major economic and social event, bringing significant benefits to host regions through tourism, hospitality and cultural engagement.
The decision to host the 2027 festival in Waikato carries special significance.
Under the mana of Te Kīngitanga and Waikato-Tainui, the festival will return to a region deeply connected to Māori history, leadership and the ongoing legacy of the Kīngitanga movement.
Hopuhopu, on the banks of the Waikato River, is expected to welcome tens of thousands of visitors during the week-long celebration of Māori performing arts.
For competing kapa haka, the live draw signals the beginning of the final stretch toward the national stage, where years of preparation, fundraising and rehearsal culminate in performances that celebrate whakapapa, language, history and identity.
While Te Matatini is a competition, it is equally a celebration of community.
Whānau travel from every corner of Aotearoa to support their teams, with generations coming together to uphold traditions, strengthen te reo Māori and celebrate the richness of Māori culture.
Ross says the continued growth of Te Matatini reflects the increasing popularity of kapa haka both nationally and internationally, with audiences continuing to expand through television broadcasts and online streaming.
As anticipation builds toward Te Matatini o Ngā Taniwha 2027, the live draw represents the first official step on a journey that will once again bring together the finest kapa haka exponents from across the motu.
For performers and supporters alike, the road to Hopuhopu has now begun.
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