Te Matatini 2023 champions Te Kapa Haka o Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, performing their poi, Niwareka, kawe noa i ahau. E Sinclair / Supplied
By Eda Tang, Stuff
The stirring sounds from Te Matatini Herenga Waka Herenga Tangata, the world’s largest kapa haka festival, will be released on an album in three parts to celebrate Matariki.
Over three weeks, beginning Friday, July 14, remastered soundtracks from the live performances, chosen by more than 40 kapa, will be released.
At this year’s festival in February, held at Auckland’s Ngā Ana Wai Eden Park, 1800 performers showcased their culture, with 1.8 million viewers tuning in to the competition.
“Each waiata and haka provides an insight into the realities and aspirations of te ao Māori today,” chief executive officer Carl Ross says.
“The album is rich with stories and histories compiled into one. There are beautiful tributes to haka legends and the many rangatira we’ve lost.”
Te Matatini National Kapa Haka Festival Album 2023 releases from Friday 14 July. Source / Te Matatini Society Incorporated
Matariki is a time to remember those who have died, marked by Pōhutukawa, the eldest child of Matariki and the second star in the constellation.
“The waiata calls for celebration of history, achievements, and reclamation; the poi reflects courage and knowledge; the haka offers leadership challenges, while the whakawātea [exit song] leaves messages of hope in times of need,” he says.
“Since the inception of Te Matatini festival in 1972, the national stage has always been a platform for whānau, hapū and iwi to share their narratives, from their perspectives, with the world.
“The new album excites everyone involved,” says Ross.
“It’s an influencer and an advocate for the very best of te ao Māori and, at its heart, is kapa haka.”
For chief operating officer Wipere Mita, a new lyrics feature adds another special element.
“The new lyrics feature on the album will encourage fans to learn the kupu and stories behind the lyrical prose and belt out those ballads wherever they are.”
He says the lyrics feature aligns with the commitment from Te Matatini to showcase “our unique Māori language and culture, through the very best in kapa haka excellence and entrench te reo Māori across all aspects of kapa haka activity”.