Super Eight Kapa Haka

The Māori term ‘Ki te hoe’ implies that one must get on with the task at hand, and that is precisely what the sixteen students who represented our college in the Super Eight Kapa Haka event did at Napier Boys’ High School in Hawkes Bay, on Friday 20 May.

The Super Eight Kapa Haka competition rules allow only fifteen students to perform on stage with one guitarist. PNBHS had a Kapa (Group) representative of talented and enthusiastic young and older students. For our junior students, it was an opportunity to learn with and from the tuakana (older students) and for our Year 13 students, it was poignant with this being their last year at PNBHS.

Due to being in the red alert level for most of term one, it was challenging to get all the performers together at any one time. Hence, the students had an intensive lead-up to the event this term, with practices held at lunchtime and Sunday afternoons.

Prefects and Kapa Haka performers Haimona Maruera, Aydin Newell, and Reihana Wetere deserve a special mention for their tutoring of the team. All three young men are experienced Kapa Haka performers and mentored the group to a high standard. Kei runga noa atu koutou, ngā tuakana o te roopū. Thank you also to Jonathan Hillas for being our official photographer and gear steward.

The students enjoyed the day and the support of the other PNBHS students in the OK Chorale, Chess, Drama and Debating. Travelling up with the Music Department was enjoyable and appreciated.

During their campaign and on the day, the Kapa Haka team were supported by Whaea Debi Marshall-Lobb and Whaea Noo’san Paku, Māori Department teaching staff. Whaea Debi stated that she was proud of our Kapa Haka team, “on and off the stage”. Kaea (leader) of the group, Haimona Maruera, expressed his pleasure in the contribution of all the performers. Unanimously, the Super Eight Kapa Haka performers were delighted to have had the opportunity to compete in this prestigious event and they fulfilled their task to an impressively high standard.

Nō reira, ngā mihi nui ki a rātou te roopū Kapa Haka o PNBHS (thank you to all members of the team and all those who supported them). Tau kē! (Well done!)