Westland High School Kapa Haka Roopu
20 Sep
The Westland High School Kapa Haka roopu competed on Friday at the Te Hui Ahurei on nga Kura o Te Tai Poutini at Buller High School.
The event truly began the night before. On Thursday, 17 September 2026, the Westland High School Kapa Haka rōpū stayed overnight at kura, preparing for the annual Te Hui Ahurei o Te Tai Poutini.
Friday brought a very early start, with everyone up at 4:00 am and ready to depart Hokitika by 5:30 am, ensuring our rōpū arrived in Kawatiri in time for the 8:00 am pōwhiri.
Following pōwhiri, preparations began immediately. There was plenty to do—dressing our rōpū, styling the hair of our kōtiro (and tāne too!), warming up our vocals, running through last-minute details, and shaking off those pre-performance nerves.
The weather could not have been better, warm and sunny, with just a slight breeze. The atmosphere was building, the nerves were settling, and our rōpū were dressed, focused, and ready to take the stage.
While the day ran slightly behind schedule, it did little to hinder our tīma (team). The connection, trust, and bond this group shares is truly special, and that whanaungatanga shone through from the moment they stepped onto the stage.
Leading our rōpū were our kaitātaki wahine, Paris Hutana, and kaitātaki tāne, Forrest Scott-Glass. From the moment they entered the performance area, the judging was underway, and every movement, expression, and sound mattered.
Westland High School delivered a performance that was crisp, connected, kaha(energy) and full of poho kererū (pride). Their confidence and pride were evident throughout, reflecting not only the mahi they had put into preparing for Te Hui Ahurei, but also the strength of the rōpū they had become together.
A massive mihi goes to Ani Mason, an ex-Westland High School tauira who returned this year to serve as pouako (tutor) for the rōpū. Ani has been preparing and guiding the rōpū since the beginning of the 2026 school year, dedicating countless hours, energy, and aroha to their development. Her commitment, leadership, and belief in our rangatahi played a significant role in preparing them for their success at Te Hui Ahurei.
Another huge mihi goes to Dani Tainui, also an ex-Westland High School tauira, who stepped up as the rōpū guitarist. Dani became an important part of the tīma, providing the musical support that helped bring each item to life. Her contribution, commitment, and support were an integral part of the rōpū and their fantastic success.
It is particularly special to see former Westland High School tauira returning to give back, sharing their skills and knowledge with the next generation of performers and strengthening the whakapapa of kapa haka within our kura.
A stellar performance from the Westland High School Kapa Haka rōpū. With a beautiful bracket and lovely sound of melody, the performance was top-tier. This led to the aggregate section of judging for Kura Tuarua with Westland High School becoming; Ngā toa mō Te Hui Ahurei o Te Tai o Poutini 2026!
After an awesome prizegiving, it was time to begin the journey home, albeit a little later than anticipated! Our vans departed Kawatiri at 8:00 pm, with a stop for kai along the way, before finally arriving back at kura at 11:00 pm on Friday night. It had been a huge day for everyone, from our 4:00 am start through to our late-night return, but one filled with memories, pride, and plenty to celebrate. While the competition has wrapped up for 2026, our rōpū still have many more performances to showcase. Westland High School is more than proud of this special group and we hope that if you see any of our tauira and pouako, please congratulate them on their huge achievements.
A huge mihi must go to our amazing kaiako awhi, whose support made the whole experience possible: Whaea C, for staying overnight with the rōpū in the whare; Matua Waller and Whaea Brooke, for driving the vans and helping our tauira prepare for their performance; and Whaea Becs and Whaea Val (Kete Kai), for ensuring everyone was well fed by providing kai for hapa, parakuihi, and paramanawa throughout our journey.
We also extend a special mihi to Mrs Reeves, our tumuaki, who travelled up and spent the entire day supporting our tauira, kaiako, and rōpū. Having that support from our kura leadership meant a great deal to us all.
Finally, a heartfelt mihi to all our whānau. Thank you for the countless ways you supported our rangatahi throughout their journey, from the early mornings, late nights, practices, encouragement, transport, preparation, and for simply being there behind them every step of the way. The success of our rōpū belongs not only to those who stood on the stage, but also to the whānau who stood proudly behind them.
Nā koutou katoa i tutuki pai ai tēnei kaupapa. He mihi nui, he mihi aroha ki a koutou katoa.
Secondary Schools Section
Non-aggregate:
2nd equal – Kaitataki wahine
2nd place – Kaitataki tane
1st equal – Kakahu
Aggregate:
1st place – Whakaeke
1st equal – Waiata tira
1st place – Waiata-ā-ringa
3rd place – Poi
1st place – Haka
1st place – Whakawātea
1st place – Overall
