Haea te ata
Hāpara te ata
Korokī te manu
Wairori te ngutu
Ko te ata nui
Ka horaina
Ka tangi te ūmere
He pō, he pō
He ao, he ao

On Saturday 3rd August, Kimihia Kapa Haka took the stage at the Waitaha Secondary School Kapa Haka Competitions. This is the fourth time Kimihia has competed at these competitions.

Months were spent training in preparation for these competitions. Lots of Friday evenings, weekends and even the first week of the holidays were taken up training in haka, waiata-ā-ringa, poi and choreography, learning everything that needed to be learnt in order to take the stage to compete for a spot at the National Secondary School Kapa Haka Competitions in 2020.

Kimihia is a combined group of 5 mainstream schools. The group was made up of students from Year 9 to Year 13 from Linwood College, Cashmere High School, Christchurch Girls High School, Christchurch Boys High School and St Andrews College.

The Kaitātaki (leaders) for the group were Tamati Frost (STAC) and Nevaeh Pirikahu-Waata. They worked hard to learn all of the kaea parts of the items that were performed, including Nevaeh learning a karanga to lead the group on to the stage.

Tane Lilley was given the task to speak on behalf of the group. His whaikōrero was delivered with well thought out timing and precision. Tane placed second overall with his whaikōrero.

The students from Linwood College were:

The competition was very tight this year, with a number of equal placings being given out for the whole competitions. Kimihia placed third overall this year just missing out on the opportunity to go to nationals.

Their final placings were as follows:

Non-Aggregate Items

Waiata Tira/Choral: First Place

Kākahu: First place

Whaikōrero: Second place

Kaitātaki Wahine: Second place

Kaitātaki Tane: Fourth place

Aggregate Items

Whakaeke/Entrance: Second equal

Mōteatea: Second equal

Waiata-ā-ringa: Second equal

Poi: Fourth place

Haka: Third place

Whakawātea: First place

Reo: First equal

A big mihi goes out to a number of people who supported Kimihia during their campaign for regionals. All the whānau, kaiako tumuaki and kura who supported the kaihaka in getting to practices and allowing them to be part of this kaupapa, and to the tutors who dedicated as much time, effort and energy to this campaign as the kaihaka did: Hora Nicholls, Piripi Edwards, Te Matau Te Aika-Puanaki, Tyson Tangaroa, Henare Te Aika-Puanaki and Manu Paringatai.

Also, to our seamstresses and kākahu people, Miriama Setterington (Cashmere High School Kaiako Māori) and Taryn Hopkins who work tirelessly to ensure our kākahu were stage-ready. The kākahu taonga was won by them.

Students who competed at the Regional Competition were also eligible to gain NCEA credits for Māori Performing Arts at NCEA Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4. This is another success that these kaihaka are able to celebrate.

Kimihia Tō Tino Rangatiratanga!