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Background

Te Matatini is a National Kapa Haka Festival where kapa haka performers from all around Aotearoa New Zealand come together to compete for the noble and honour of winning the national finals. The name was given by Professor Wharehuia Milroy and gave his meaning, Te Mata meaning the face, and tini as in many, hence the meaning Te Matatini as the many faces.

“Māori performing arts bring together people of all ages, all backgrounds, all beliefs, Māori and non-Māori alike, participants and observers. When I look, I see many faces, young and old – Te Matatini” – Professor Wharehuia Milroy.'

Each Te Matatini festival is held every two years in different regions of Aotearoa. The mana (authority) is given to different iwi (tribes) to host the festival. For example, in 2009 the mana was given to Tauranga Moana on behalf of the Mataatua (Bay of Plenty) region.
Mead (2003) explains, Mana is undergone by a set of rules before it is given, the people or person in charge has to accept these constraints and strive to rise above them in order to do the job that is set before them.

Te Matatini is seen as playing a very important role within Maoridom in promoting and developing Kapa Haka. It provides a cultural experience for the Maori people of Aotearoa and people from all around the world attracting up to 30,000 participants and spectators. Te Matatini known as The Many Faces, brings all ethnicities together, celebrating the Maori culture and its beauty, and recognises the importance of hapu, iwi and whanau. Kapa Haka is a form of Maori identity and contributes to New Zealand being unique.

Te Matatini Society is the drive force behind Te Matatini National Kapa Haka Festival and over the years has evolved since the initial development in the late 1960s of Maori festivals and Polynesian events. Despites the several transitions in names, the society has existed since 1972 and has focused on the long term nurturing of Maori performing arts (Te Matatini Society, 2009, February 19-22, p.8).

Competition format

The festival is normally run over 3 – 4 days. The first day involves a powhiri by the ‘tangata whenua’ (home people). All kapa haka performers, supporters, dignitaries and visitors are welcomed to the host region and the National Festival. The powhiri is carried out according to the customs and protocols of the host people.

The Competition Preliminaries are held during Days 1, 2 and 3, with groups performing across a range of Toi Haka - compulsory and non compulsory performance disciplines.

Each performance is judged against set criteria, by judges appointed from around New Zealand who are expert in their respective disciplines. Those teams with the highest combined marks in their competition pool move on to compete in the Competition Finals. The finalists are judged on the compulsory disciplines to determine the new Toa Whakaihuwaka: overall aggregate winner.

The Competition Finals are always held on the last day of the Festival, which is concluded with prize giving, where taonga (trophies) are awarded across a variety of toi haka (performance disciplines). (Te Matatini Society, 2009).

Competition rules

Entry Qualification
Every group must have qualified through there own regional competitions.

Performers
Each group must have no more than 40 performers on the stage. Every performer must be older than 14 years of age to perform at the festival.

Time
Each group has 25 minutes to complete all six compulsory disciplines.

Compulsory disciplines
All Kapa Haka shall perform the following compulsory disciplines:
(a) Whakaeke
(b) Moteatea
(c) Waiata ā ringa
(d) Poi
(d) Haka
(e) Whakawātea

Other Discipline
(a) Manukura Tane (male leader)
(b) Manukura Wahine (female leader)
(c) Kakahu (Best dressed)
(d) Te Kairangi o te reo - whakaeke, mōteatea, poi, waiata-ā‐ringa, haka, whakawātea
(e) Titonga waiata hou - poi, waiata‐a‐ringa, haka

Optional Discipline
The Waiata ā Tira is optional for Kapa Haka
The Waiata ā Tira must be performed before the Whakaeke
Start time is the first utterance or sound or movement
Finish time is the final utterance or sound or movement

Points for All Disciplines
Each discipline shall be marked out of a maximum of 100 points

Disciplines

The performances are made up of the following disciplines;

Waiata tira (optional)
The choral is used to warm up the group or is good to put rangimarie (peace) upon the group to settle nerves. This item is optional and not compulsory.

Whakaeke
The item known as the whakaeke is the entrance song, where groups can make a statement in which who they are, where they come from, what the purpose is. It involves alot of movement and choreography around the stage, and involves much discipline.

Moteatea
The moteatea is a traditional chant or dirges, however there are more contemporary styles being used in the more present times.

Waiata-a-ringa
The action song is where performers are using hand and body actions, much emphasis is placed on the hands, face, body and eyes to combine actions to words of the song. Ngata & Armstrong (2002) state that, “the action song is not a series of drill movements but a rhythmic expression of moods and emotions” (p. 9).

Poi
The Poi is a item that is done mostly by women, but can be done by men. This item is known for its gracefulness and poise, utilising a poi (round ball) connected to a plaited cord that exhibits beauty and style.

Haka
Tanerore, “the offspring of Te Ra and Hineraumati gave the personification of hot quivering air, who danced in the summer heat, which was known as Te Haka a Tanerore (the haka of Tanerore” (Reed, 2004, p. 399). The Haka is also used to make a statement against political matters, issues in Maori society, and barriers and challenges that Maori face today. It is also known as an expression of New Zealand identity. Karetu (1993) states that “of the Maori dance repertoire it can be said that the haka is the most eagerly anticipated wherever there is a performance” (pg. 80).

Whakawatea
The item is the exit song for the group. This gives the group the opportunity to leave a final statement, and reinforce what they came to do, who they are and thank the tangata whenua ‘home people’ for hosting the event.

Manukura Wahine/Manukura Tane
Female and male leaders where both show there roles from on and off the stage. These include; karanga (the calling), mihimihi (speeches), how the leaders present themselves within their groups in terms of leadership and how they carry themselves for the group.

Kakahu
This is the dress form, groups are judged on dress style. This item recognises the skills of weavers, moko and tuhi kiri (tattoo) artists, and carvers.

Te Reo
Also known as the Maori language, this discipline is the pinnacle of all disciplines.

Previous Winners

Here are the previous winners of Te Matatini National Kapa Haka Festival.
Below are the; year (it was hosted), the winning group, and the region who hosted the festival.
Example, 2009 [year], Te Waka Huia [winning group], Mataatua [host region]

2009 – Te Waka Huia, Mataatua
2007 – Whangara-Mai-Tawhiti, Rangitane
2005 – Ta Whanau a Apanui, Rangitane
2002 – Waihirere, Tamaki Makaurau
2000 – Matarae I O Rehu, Ngaruawahia
1998 – Wahirere, Trentham
1996 – Ngati Rangiwewehi, Rotorua
1994 – Te Waka Huia, Hawera
1992 – Te Waka Huia, Ngaruawahia
1990 – Te Roopu Manutaki, Waitangi
1988 – Waihirere, Whangarei
1986 – Te Waka Huia, Christchurch
1983 – Ngati Rangiwewehi, Hastings
1981 – Taniwharau, Auckland
1979 – Waihirere, Wellington
1977 – Te Kotahitanga o Waitaha, Gisborne
1975 – Te Roopu Manutaki, Whangarei
1973 – Mawai Hokona, Rotorua
1972 – Waihirere, Rotorua

Website Links

Te Matatini
http://www.tematatini.co.nz/index.htm

Kapa Haka Kura Tuarua a Motu 2010/Kapa Haka Secondary Schools 2010
http://kapahakakuratuarua.co.nz/

Video Links

Kapa Haka groups from Te Matatini 09
Te Waka Huia
http://www.maoritelevision.com/Default.aspx?tabid=75&pid=93&epid=3278
Te Iti Kahurangi
http://www.maoritelevision.com/Default.aspx?tabid=75&pid=93&epid=3274
Te Matarae I Orehu
http://www.maoritelevision.com/Default.aspx?tabid=75&pid=93&epid=2334
Te Whanau a Apanui
http://www.maoritelevision.com/Default.aspx?tabid=75&pid=93&epid=3013
Waihirere Maori Club
http://www.maoritelevision.com/Default.aspx?tabid=75&pid=93&epid=3016

Kapa Haka Disciplines
Waiata tira (Te Iti Kahurangi) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyI8rvZhbkM
Whakaeke (Te Waka Huia) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1aBrJxQ7uQ
Waiata-a-ringa (Te Piringa) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGx2pAmTI08
Poi (Turanga Tane, Turanga Wahine) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ5Ulo7WoXA&feature=related
Haka (Te Waka Huia) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpxqG9U5DIU

References

Karetu, T. (1993). Haka! The Dance of a Noble People. Auckland, NZ: Reed Books.

Ngata, R., Armstrong, A. (2002). Maori Action Songs. Auckland, NZ: Reed Books.

Mead, H. (2003). Tikanga Maori. Living by Maori values. Wellington, NZ: Huia Publishers.

Reed, A-W. (2004). Reed Book of Maori Mythology. Auckland, NZ: Reed Books.

Te Matatini Society. (2009). History and Initiatives. Retrieved March 20th, 2010, from http://www.tematatini.co.nz

Te Matatini Society. (2009, February, 19-22). Te Matatini National Kapa Haka Festival 2009. Bay of Plenty Times, pg. 8.

Te Matatini Society. (2010). Nga ture o te whakataetae: Competition rules. Retrieved from March 25th, 2010, from http://www.tematatini.co.nz/festival/documents/2011CompetitionRules.pdf