Hillcrest High School host kapa haka festival

More than 1000 performers and supporters converged on Hillcrest High School for a kapa haka celebration on August 31.

The school hosted He Tai Ohinga Maro kapa haka festival and Hillcrest’s neighbouring primary and middle schools, their ‘Kāhui Ako’ (Community of Learning), opened proceedings.

“What we’ve done this year that’s been different from previous years is that we’ve got our Kāhui Ako schools involved around this area, Tamahere, Tauwhare, Berkley, so that they were able to support Hillcrest High School in the pōwhiri,” Hillcrest High School principal Kelvin Whiting said.

The junior students welcomed ten Waikato high schools to the non-competitive event.

“It’s really just an opportunity for schools in our area to get together and to perform as kapa haka groups.” 

Participating rōpu (groups) came from Waikato Diocesan School for Girls, Cambridge High School, Morrinsville College, Melville High School, Fairfield College, St John’s College, Sacred Heart Girls’ College, Forest View High School (Tokoroa), Ngāruawāhia High School and St Peters School, Cambridge.

The festival was started in 2012 by Cambridge High School and last year the event’s trophy passed from Ngāruawāhia High School to Hillcrest. This exchange entrusted the mauri (life) of He Tai Ohinga Maro to Hillcrest.

The school’s students and Te Rōpu Whakaruruhau committee have worked for months to prepare for the occasion.

“We’ve got a really dedicated group of staff around Māori achievement and tikanga within the school and relationships with Tainui and Ngāti Hauā have been at the forefront of organising this. A huge amount of work and effort has gone into this.”

A large stage was set up in Hillcrest’s gymnasium with a film crew recording proceedings. Television personality Maria Huata, a former-student of Hillcrest High School, MC’ed the event and guests included Waikato-Tainui and Ngāti Hauā dignitaries.

The large crowd was lively and vocal in their support of those performing. Though not competitive, the participants displayed pride and exuberance.

“They want to do well, our students, like all schools do because they’re showcasing their talents and capabilities…but also there’s a little bit of competitiveness with other schools.

“Even though it’s not a competition as such we all like to do the very best that we possibly can.”

Hillcrest kaitātaki tane (lead male) Te Rangi Pritchard-Blunt enjoyed seeing everyone’s excitement and eagerness to get involved.

“To see so many schools participate, seeing the amount of primary schools that volunteered to help with the pōwhiri, it was pretty cool.

“The festival introduced the younger generation to kapa haka and Māori culture. That’s important to me,” the year 11 student said.

For him showcasing kapa haka is about improving Māori culture within mainstream schools and it’s about building a whānau.

“[It’s] having a second whānau that you can rely on,” Pritchard-Blunt said.

Hillcrest’s kaitātaki wahine (lead female) Raumati Beazley, year 11, said kapa haka makes her proud to be Māori.

“It was cool seeing everyone come together, especially the kaumātua and the little tamariki from the other schools. My favourite part was performing and when everyone cheered. I wouldn’t change anything.

“It felt like a national – a real competition. The stage was the thing that put it all together,” Beazley said.

The next host for He Tai Ohinga Maro is yet to be confirmed.