Waitangi Day:Hard work climaxes in regional finals | Hawkes Bay News | Local News in Hawkes Bay

Months of hard work and preparation are about to be put to the test for the five groups contesting the bi-annual Ngati Kahungunu kapa haka regional competition on Waitangi Day.

Judges working to critique the performers will select two teams to compete at the national Te Matatini kapa haka event in Rotorua in 2013.

The Kahungunu competition will be run at the Hawke's Bay Regional Sports Park in Hastings for the first time, opening up new opportunities for performers and spectators.

"Firstly this is the type of venue where the national kapa haka competitions are held," event director Tama Huata said.

"It's a good venue for viewing. It's a park that really gives our groups a chance to show people the hours of work they've been putting in," he said.

The performance stage will be constructed today in front of the 2500-seat grandstand at the regional sports park.

The five kapa haka teams, Nga Manu Ata Korihi, based in Napier; Nga Taipakeke o Ngati Ranginui and Ngati Ranginui, from Bay of Plenty; Te Rerenga Kotuku, from Wairoa and Parearau, from Napier, will have a chance to inspect the site this weekend.

On Monday the first performance starts about 9am and the final would conclude at 3.30pm. Judges would announce the results later in the afternoon with most people expected to stay on to hear the names of the teams going forward to Te Matatini.

"This is regionals year all over the country but the main focus for us is to encourage all the community, the families of those teams involved, to come out and support the teams for the day," Mr Huata said.

"It's about whanau ora. When you get 40 people coming together in a group, you get to see the real sense of community."

There was a set format for the competition groups to follow. It included the entrance, or whakaeke, the traditional waiata, the poi, the action song or waiata-a-ringa and the exit or the whakawatea. "Then there are the aggregate items, such as the costumes, best male and female leader, and te reo Maori," Mr Huata said.

"The costume, that's really left to the eye of the judges. It's about the overall look of the group when the performers make their entrance and when they are on stage," he said.

Mr Huata, who twice organised the Te Matatini competition, said he would like the national kapa haka event to be held in Hawke's Bay, with the regional sports park the ideal location.

"We could say that is something for the future, but you really have to have some heavy financial support behind it," he said.

Hunt on for fifth qualification

Wairoa's Te Rerenga Kotuku cerebrates its 20th anniversary at this year's regional kapa haka competition and is looking to make it ``five in a row'' in terms of qualifying for the national Te Matatini competition.

It's also a milestone for tutor Sheree Cotter who, for the first time, has stepped down as a performer to concentrate on mentoring the group.

``This year, we have 34 in our group, from all parts of Hawke's Bay, and it's quite different from the one which performed at Te Matatini last year,'' she said.

``We've had to find a lot of new members, especially men, and I think that's a trend with all groups around the country. It could be that men are busy in sports or that they can't multi-task like women, they can't finish their rugby and then come to kapa haka.''

The team began preparing for the regional competition in October, holding rehearsals at marae around Wairoa and at the EIT Hawke's Bay.

``I think this is the strongest bracket we've ever had, it's certainly been the most challenging to put together with a new mixture of people and musical compositions,'' Ms Cotter said.

``We don't worry about what the other teams are doing because we are competing against the judges. For us it's about maintaining a standard and representing the Wairoa end of Kahungunu well.''

She said the team was looking forward to performing at the Hawke's Bay Regional Sports Park for the first time.

``We can't wait to see what the venue looks like and to be part of the whole Waitangi Day, Kahungunu Day celebrations taking place at the same time.''