Te Matatini and Ngāti Whātua have welcomed the mahau that adorns the stage to Ngā Ana Wai this morning marking nine days before the start of the beleaguered kapa haka competition.
Despite the heavy rain and strong wind caused by Cyclone Gabrielle the giant structure, which has been a fixture of Te Matatini since 2013, was blessed at dawn by karakia.
“We are delighted to welcome the mahau, the kaihaka and all the Te Matatini whānau and fans back to Tāmaki Makaurau, particularly as we celebrate 50 years of kapa haka with Te Matatini,” says Tamaki Makaurau Senior Kapa Haka Society chairman Paora Sharples.
“It is always an honour to host this world-class event that celebrates the pinnacle of Māori performing arts."
The mahau, which stands over 13m tall and spans 30m was carved at the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute in 2012 and unveiled at the festival in Rotorua in 2013. It represents iwi throughout Aotearoa and has surrounded the performing stage at every competition since.
“It has been four years since we’ve been able to bring kapa haka back to the world stage and we are delighted to see the prestigious mahau once again take the stage,” Te Matatini chief executive Carl Ross says.
“The mahau, called Te Matatini, celebrates our traditions and connectivity across the motu and acknowledges our shared origins. It is a taonga that embraces our performers and adds prestige to the largest kapa haka festival in the world,” Ross says.
The timbers used for the mahau are all native wood and include huge kauri carbon dated at 4,500 years old.
The last time Te Matatini was held in Tāmaki Makaurau was in 2002, and before thatit was in 1981.
This year's festival begins next Tuesday with a pōhiri at Ōkahumatamomoe (Ōkahu Bay) before Muriwhenua takes the stage at Ngā Ana Wai on Wednesday morning.
