Festivals bring talent and joy for kapa haka to the stage - check out the photo gallery!
The 2025 IDEA Services Kapa Haka Regional Festivals took place throughout Aotearoa over the past month with more than 30 roopu bringing their talent and joy for kapa haka to the stage.
The festivals began in Southland at the end of October with the Ngā Tāngata Manawa o te Tai-tonga Kapa Haka Festival. This was followed by Te Hoenga Waka - the Northern region’s festival in the first weekend of November. Next it was Mid Central’s turn with Te Wakatini at Karapiro. Central’s Te Ngākautaki o ngā Kāhui-maunga in Carterton wrapped up the festivals for this year.
Te Atakura Ryan, Kaitakawaenga from IHC’s Māori advisory group Te Anga Pāua, says the people supported by IDEA Services take kapa haka very seriously. “It’s an important artform for everyone. It’s a taonga and it encourages connection to whakapapa and to each other,” she says. “They all worked tremendously hard in the build-up to each festival. Everyone was so excited to get up on the stage and show what they can do.”
For the people we support, performing to lively and encouraging audiences is an empowering experience. It offers them an opportunity to showcase their talents on stage, connect with their cultural heritage (whakapapa) and community, learn new waiata and actions, and brings the whole community together in a celebratory environment.
Diane Pelvin, a member of Te Huarahi Hou o Te Ratonga Whakaaro i Otautahi (Christchurch) was at Ngā Tāngata Manawa o te Tai-tonga in Invercargill. She said “I love to perform. My rōpū is my family.”
“The reason I joined kapa haka is I looked at a group on tv and on You Tube,” says kaihaka Polly Pompey who is a member of Te Roopu Hinengaro o Kaute (Counties Auckland). Polly was at Te Waka Hoenga Northern Kapa Haka Festival in Orewa. “I like learning new songs and actions," said Polly.
Robert Smith of Te Roopu o Hauraki me Te Rohe Pōtae was at Te Wakatini Festival in the Mid Central region. He said that being a part of the roopu had strengthened his understanding of Māori culture. “Since joining kapa haka, I’ve learned about visiting marae and the tikanga that comes with it. Te Wakatini is a celebration of culture and it brings people together through music and performance," said Robert.
Ameria Wallace, the current kaitātaki wahine from Wairarapa’s Te Roopu Manaaki, loved performing at Central’s Te Ngākautaki o ngā Kāhui-maunga festival. “I have been doing it (kapa haka) since I was a little child. It is part of my culture, it is who I am. I love all the songs, and I love the wahine leadership role that I do,” said Ameria.
Now the excitement begins for the next Te Anga Pāua o Aotearoa National Kapa Haka Festival, which will be held in November 2026 in Kirikiriroa Hamilton.
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