Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue has paid the ultimate compliment to Tā Rāpata ‘Koro Bom’ Gillies by taking out this year’s Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga competition held in Ngā Motu, Taranaki.
The kapa honored Gillies, the last surviving member of the Māori Battalion, who passed away in November 2024.
The group accompanied Sir Robert on several overseas trips, including those to Monte Cassino, to commemorate fallen soldiers of the 28th Māori Battallion.
Speaking to the media directly after winning the competition, leaders Te Ngawari Wright and Cori Marsters said despite the outstanding delivery of their bracket, they were still surprised with the announcement.
Marsters said the priority for the kapa was to ensure the memory of Koro Bom was honored.
“I tutuki tēra taha o mātou, te kawe mai a Koro Bom ki konei, me tana ōhāki kia mātou kia mau ki te aroha. Koinā te kaupapa nui kei runga i a mātou.”
In a surprising move, just a week before the competition, tutor Tenga Rangitauira chose to release the full details of their bracket on social media.
“How could we not farewell our Koroua, the last soldier of the 28th Māori Battalion?”
The evolution of the upstart to champions
According to research done by the group, the kapa began in 1956.
However, the evolution of the group happened recently.
Since their captivating whakaeke performance at the 2021 Te Arawa Ahurei, which captured the attention of haka enthusiasts across social media, the group’s creative style and presence has skyrocketed.
The following year, the group qualified as one of six Te Arawa teams for Te Matatini Herenga Waka, Herenga Tāngata held in Tāmaki Makaurau in 2023.
There, Ngāti Whakaue earned second place, tied with Whāngārā Mai Tawhiti, out of the 46 teams that competed.
They also secured several top placements across multiple items, with Wright taking first place for Kaitātaki Wahine.
In 2024, Ngāti Whakaue claimed first place at the Te Arawa Senior Regionals, paving the way for their crowning achievement at Te Matatini 2025, where they were named Te Kapa Toa Whakaihuwaka.
However, Wright emphasized that their success was not a result of luck. He credited the group’s creative growth to significant changes, including the passing of their beloved koroua, which inspired them to deliver their powerful performance at Te Matatini ki Te Kāhui Maunga.
“Ko tētahi āhuatanga i panoni pea mai i tēra atu Matatini, ko te whakakotahi i ngā whakaaro ki tētahi kaupapa, arā, ko te kaupapa o te aroha nō muri mai i te matenga o tā mātou koroua.”
He waiata tawhito mo te kaupapa nui, ko te aroha.
Hāunga rā te wāhi ki ngā titonga autaia o tā rātou tū ki te papa whakatūwaewae o Te Matatini ki te Kāhui Maunga, ko te waiata ā-ringa tētahi o ngā waiata kua paingia e te katoa.
E kī ana a Marsters, ko tā rātou waiata ā-ringa he waiata tawhito e hāngai ana ki te pakanga tuarua o te wā, arā, ko te wā tērā i ako ai ngā kuia ki te tuhi reta ki ā rātou hoa rangatira kei tā wāhi.
”I tito ēra kuia i te kāinga ki te whakaako ki te tuitui he reta aroha ki te hōia. Nō reira, i tīkina atu taua waiata i te mea ki te piri tonu ki tā rātou kaupapa nui, ko te aroha.”
”Ka pōhēhē te tangata kei te whakakuia kei te whakakoroua mātou, e hē! Kei te whakarongo i ngā tohutohu o ā mātou kuia o ā mātou koroua, ‘Me pēnei me pēna’. Me pēnei te kawe me pēhea te karawhiu i te atamira. Māmā noa iho.”
