On Sunday the 1st of November, our kapa haka group stood at their first ever competitive performance at the Tūhono Kapa Haka Festival.

Practice for this competition began in the last weeks of Term 2, from then, we practised twice a week; after school on Mondays for two hours, and Wednesday lunchtimes every week of term 3.

The commitment that the girls showed throughout this campaign was incredible. Not only was the group formed of many girls, including a large number of juniors, who had never been exposed to kapa haka before, but the items that made up our bracket were high level, proving to be a fair challenge for everyone.

We performed a waiata tira (choral song), waiata-ā-ringa (action song), and a poi item. We had two seniors complete karanga for the first time in their lives, and two juniors performed a beautiful duet. Everyone in the group learnt an entire double poi; a huge accomplishment for any kapa haka rōpu (group). As a group, we won 1st place in the Novelty Item (poi), and Taiaho Huia, Whaea Adrienne's son, won 1st place in the youth guitarist category (he was amazing).

Needless to say, watching the girls progress throughout the campaign was a very special experience. It was a privilege to perform with these girls on Sunday, and I am sure that the relationships formed between all of the girls over the course of the campaign and the experience of the competitive kapa haka atmosphere will set a positive tone for the future of CGHS kapa haka. We plan on competing at Tūhono again next year and are looking forward to taking on another campaign with our goals set on improvement, engagement, and enlightenment to the amazing experience of kapa haka.

Special acknowledgements to the staff and parents who supported the rōpu throughout this campaign, our guitarists, Matua Geoff and Taiaho, and to Whaea Manu Paringatai of Linwood College who allowed us to use their songs in our performance.