Ngā Kaitātaki - the leaders,of Piopio College's kapa haka are Ruby-Rae McCarthy and Trey Mason.
VOICES were hoarse, legs sore and chests red from slapping this weekend at Napinapi Pā.
Piopio College’s kapa haka was preparing for the Waiwaia festival on September 15 in Te Kūiti with a three-day noho marae – a stay at the marae.
Matua Amai Tahu, head of kapa haka, ran the noho alongside parents and supporters.
“It was to get the kids to gel as a team, to create that bond,” Amai said.
“So, when they go on stage they’re prepared, and they know they have each other’s backs out there.”
The kids have so far done 18 hours of training.
This year marks 40 years of the Waiwaia festival, which began in Piopio.
“Next year the mauri comes back to Piopio – that’s a carving of Waiwaia which is a taniwha in the Waipā river, a kaitiaki (guardian),” Amai said.
“The school with the mauri hosts the festival for that year.
“It’s not a competition – it’s a whakangāhau (a performance for enjoyment), it’s an opportunity for the schools to showcase what they’ve been practising.
“The students have worked hard for the kaupapa … if they keep up doing the mahi, by the time they’re as old as me, they’ll be way better.
“Some of them have got attitudes at school, but when they come here, I’ve had comments that they’re respectful and they show humility.
“That’s something to be proud of when it comes to these students here from Piopio College.”
One highlight is the wāhine haka, a haka performed by women and girls.
“We have taken another tribe’s beat [East Coast haka Ka Panapana] and made our own haka.
“Because other tutors were using other iwi items, and that may be fine for them, but when you have writers, why not utilise our own writers and create something unique for own people using our own reo?” Amai said.
“It’s about our tohuwhenua, our landmarks here in Mōkau ki runga [this area], so Parinīnihi, and Mangapēpeke, Mt Messenger.
One theme in that piece was developers digging retaining walls for houses on an historic urupa – a Māori cemetery – in Mōkau.
A highlight of the noho marae for Trey Mason, the kapa’s male kaitātaki or leader, was “finally getting to learn all the leading parts.”
Kawau Māro was among his favourite pieces in the bracket, he said. It referred to a wedge-shaped war position: “a triangle war formation the warriors used to get into.”
Female leader, kaitātaki kōtiro, Ruby-Rae McCarthy said she no longer felt nervous.
“I performed at the Tainui regionals as well (alongside another girl in the group), so that brought me a bit more confidence.
“Before we really knew the items, it seemed way longer and way harder. But now we know them well,” she said.
Student Caelym James said he appreciated connecting with his roots. Ka Eke Ki Kahuwera was a favourite piece – acknowledging the maunga overlooking Napinapi Pā.
At the end of Saturday’s 13-hour practice he said there was “pain and agony” through his sleep.
“My limbs were numb. I couldn’t feel anything. I’ll go home and sleep on my bed for the rest of the day,” Caelym said.
