Ngāi Taiwhakaea Kapa Haka was the third group to take the stage this morning.
Ngāi Taiwhakaea Kapa Haka was established in 2005 as a way of reconnecting Ngāi Taiwhakaea descendants and encourage them to enhance their knowledge of tikanga, kawa, and whakapapa.
This is the fourth time the rōpū have stood at the Mataatua Kapa Haka Regionals after being absent from the competition for a few years. The Ngāti Awa Te Toki festival in 2014 reignited the teams interest in kapa haka.
Ngāi Taiwhakaea Kapa Haka are led on and off stage by tutors and leaders Tukirunga Perenara and Makere Tarau.
In their whakaeke they sing about “Te nohonga a Taiwhakaea me te taenga mai o tōna tira kapa haka ki Ruatoki”. They end their performance with a mihi to the hosts, Tūhoe, composed by songstress Maisey Rika.
The group have chosen to share their whakaeke online.