Mōtai Tangata Rau were newcomers to the finals today but had their sights set on a more loftier goal than the aggregate.
Performer Kawaiwhakaheke Winiata says, "We have reached our goal to make the finals, but it would be great to take out the te reo Māori section, that's our main goal, everything else is secondary."
The group brings together the descendants of Ngāti Raukawa with an emphasis on teaching tribal histories.
Winiata says, "To hear the traditional narratives being delivered by Paraone Gloyne about our ancestors before they moved south, that's the knowledge we really want to know. This group is a family. It is not as if we are from all over the place, we are one."
Mōtai Tangata Rau has been embodying kapa haka on stage for 12 years.
The group's manukura wahine, Ngahuia Kopa says, "Let's not assume, it's not a goal for every group to make the finals so we're proud, we're humbled and last night the people of our tribe were ecstatic. But most importantly it's about telling the stories of our ancestors."
A great experience for the next generation of performers.
Rawiri Manley says, "Stoked to have stood. The job is done. We've been practising for a long time. The main thing is we put our message out, we gave it everything for our tribe, for our group, for the people of our ancestral waka."
As the saying goes; the few of Mōtai are overrunning the sands of Hākerekere.