Kapa haka rōpū from small Tairāwhiti school wins national title

A small kura on the East Coast has stunned the national secondary schools kapa haka competition, taking out the senior title against rōpū many times its size. The school, with fewer than 80 students enrolled, fielded a rōpū of 32 performers. Judges praised the group's composition work and the depth of mātauranga embedded in their bracket. "We carry our tūpuna with us on that stage," the tutor said. The kura is now fundraising to take the rōpū to a cultural exchange in Hawaiʻi next year.