Despite giving their best performance in Nelson at Te Huinga Whetū National Secondary Haka competition, descendants from Te Tai Rāwhiti are thinking of their families at home.
Tū ki Uta performer Aio Beb Waitai Hollis says their performance meant much more than they anticipated.
“I to mātou ekenga i te pahi, katahi anō mātou ka rongo mātou i te kaha ua i te kāinga, i runga i tērā, ka tukuna mātou i tō mātou manawanui ki te ātāmira ki to mātou kāinga, mo to mātou kāinga.”
“When we boarded our bus, it was then that we found out about how heavy the rain is and, with that, our performance was dedicated to those at home.”
Gisborne Boys and Girls Poi tutor David Jones talks about the events back home: “Ko ngā whakaaro kei te kāinga ki ngā whānau e noho pani ana tuatahi, ka rua, ki te hunga e mau ana i ngā āhuatanga o te āwhā.”
“Our thoughts are with our people at home who have been impacted by the triple tragedy, secondly to those impacted by the storms,” he said
Performer Atahu Kohere says she gave her all on stage, understanding the responsibility they had to show up and show out for their people.
“Ahakoa ngā piki me ngā heke, e mahi ana ki te kāinga, ki te Tai Rāwhiti, koinei te take kei konei mātou, hei kanohi mo te hau kāinga”
“Despite the ups and downs of the East Coast, that’s why we’re here - to show face for our people,” Kohere says.
Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro issued a statement yesterday, expressing solidarity and sympathy for the Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay regions experiencing flooding.
Kiro toured the region just last week, seeing damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the work undertaken to rebuild from it.