Celebrating 50 years of Te Matatini

Te Matatini kapa haka festival is set to go ahead next year and what a celebration it will be.

The entire country is sure to be swept up in the the emotion and pride in celebrating 50 years of Te Matatini, New Zealand’s nation-wide Māori performing arts competition,

50 years of amazing performances engrained in the hearts of generations of performers and spectators alike.

The bi-annual festival is a rite of passage for many kapa haka performers. A mecca for the power of knowledge of culture, knowledge of te reo(language) and knowledge of self.

To acknowledge this 50th year milestone, Te Matatini will produce an album, book and web-series to celebrate the very best of kapa haka from around the country – THE TE MATATINI 50 YEAR PROJECT. 

50 waiata (songs) from the past 50 years. 50 years of maumaharatanga (memories) documented and bound, and a 50 episode web-series delving into the album’s waiata and exploring key moments and people in Te Matatini’s history.

A celebration for a festival deemed the pinnacle of performance for many kapa haka performers and for many reclaiming their heritage and what it means to be Māori today.

Te Matatini Herenga Waka Herenga Tangata 2022 – Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) is scheduled for 23-26 February, 2022. FESTIVAL PROGRAM HERE

The Māori Television is also a great way to catch up on local kapa haka competitions in lieu of 2022. Download the app and stream today!