Te Matahīapo places third at Te Hautoka in their first ever regional kapa haka performance.

Ka mau te wehi!

Congratulations to Te Matahīapo for placing third overall in the Te Hautoka Regional Kapa Haka Competition!

Matahīapo is a combined roopu made up of students from Waitaki Girls’, Waitaki Boys’, St Kevin’s College, East Otago High School, Otago Girls’ High School, St Joseph’s School and Hampden School.

Supported by Te Rūnanga o Moeraki and led by Nola and Justin Tipa, Te Matahīapo brought together rakatahi from the Moeraki takiwā for their first chance to perform at Te Hautoka. With Ana Fa’au as lead tutor, Jamie Carroll as second in charge, and Hoani Tipa and Matua Tuhi coaching the boys, the group were set up for success. Practises ran for six weeks, beginning with a noho at Moeraki Marae, followed by after school and weekend sessions at Waitaki Girls’ Hall.

Te Hautoka was held at the Edgar Centre in Ōtepoti on Sunday, 15th June. Our rakatahi delivered a stunning performance on the day, placing third overall out of 14 teams from Otago and Southland.

We are especially proud of our SKC students – Lennox Woodhouse, Ikuna Prescott, Malachi Lucas Te Tomo, Okeroa Jamieson, Kaycee-Mae Gibbins, and Kuramairangi Ainsley – as well as Manaaki Ainsley from St Joseph’s. Your performance was outstanding.

Ngā mihi nui to Waea Ana for her guidance and expertise in kapa haka, to all the tutors and their helpers, to the whānau who supported in the kitchen and fundraising, and to the kaiako and schools who got behind this kaupapa.

Top 3 Placings:

• Te Wharekura o Arowhenua

• He Waka Kōtuia

• Te Matahīapo

Full results can be found on the Tahu News Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/TahuNews

Photo credit:
Warm-up photos by Davina Eru
Performance photos by Sara Plunkett