Looking for new opportunities and growing the grass roots of kapa haka are core to the business of Te Matatini.

Te Matatini Chief Executive Darrin Apanui says the biennial Te Matatini Festival and National Kapa Haka Championship is a focal point for the organisation and a key component of a bigger strategy for kapa haka. “We have the best of the best competing at Te Matatini. What we see at the four day festival is just the tip of the iceberg. The commitment at a regional level to grow that excellence is important to what we are trying to achieve. The business of kapa haka is about supporting and growing that commitment for the future.”

Creating opportunities, building profile and putting in processes that support the top teams after the competition are fundamental to Te Matatini operations.

“The perception some organisations used to have of kapa haka was ‘we’d like a kapa haka group to perform a couple of concerts’. The proposition offered by top teams is that they can lead how New Zealand is presented both at home and overseas. It’s not just about a performance of song and dance, it’s about laying down the values of our country’s biculturalism, our unique brand of manaaki, our excellence in our art form and how we position ourselves and our country. We saw this done at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2012 with Te Matarae I Orehu, with Māori front and centre of an Aotearoa New Zealand presentation.”

Michelle Hippolite Te Puni Kōkiri Chief Executive says the value proposition of Māori culture in differentiating Aotearoa New Zealand internationally is starting to gain momentum within NZ Inc. “As we look at ways of promoting ourselves as a destination, adding value to our products, or positioning ourselves in international markets, Māori culture is our unique offering that cuts through the homogeneity of other English speaking countries. Kapa haka is more than just entertainment; it is a vital expression of who we are.”

Annette Wehi, Te Matatini board member and manager of the 2013 winning team Te Waka Huia, has performed with Te Waka Huia at many international events and has accompanied ministerial delegations overseas. Annette says “maintaining the high profile of kapa haka is crucial to keeping it intrinsic to the way New Zealand’s unique culture is presented internationally. The response we have from those who experience the top kapa haka groups is that even if language is a barrier, they understand quality and recognise true excellence.”