Te Maurea Whiritoi 2021

Kapa haka performance of Te Maurea Whiritoi from the Tainui Secondary School Kapa Haka Competition at Claudelands Event Centre 2021.

Whakaeke - Ko Te Maurea Whiritoi (00:00)

Te Maurea Whiritoi draws inspiration from its very name to come together in solidarity to pursue the ancient treasures of our ancestors.

Whaikōrero (4:39)

Waiata tawhito - Kaikiri (05:21)

Racism is rampant in all corners of the world, and Aotearoa New Zealand is no exception. We use a traditional kaioraora style of writing to inspire our fellow Māori people to adopt the fearlessness of our ancestors and no longer tolerate racist attacks on our mana (a person's spiritual power that instills respect and reverence).

We confront two well-known racists that have been elevated to knighthood to highlight the idea that people like these need to be relegated from such titles and positions of power so that their actions do not continue to inspire or authenticate racial hate.

Poi - Kūmara Irikura (7:45)

The subliminal messages of our poi are centered around the care of a family, where the kūmara irikura (a treasured sweet potato) represents a precious child. The current world is inundated with negative influences that are far greater than any that have existed in the past. Social media is an example of a modern-day phenomena that is destroying the lives of many young people. If we do not meticulously care for our children like we used to care for our food gardens, they may rot away like the pīwaiwai (rotten kūmara) of a neglected garden.

Waiata ā-ringa - E tia nei he tupu māruru e (11:21)

This song laments the devastating effects that man have had on the environment. With this waiata, we personify the land with the question: If we do not look after mother earth now, how will she look after future generations? This waiata reminds us how important it is to live sustainably so that our children can enjoy the world as our ancestors once did.

Haka - Mate Kūkupa (15:38)

The kūkupa is a native bird that can become so inebriated on the berries it eats that it falls from great heights to its death.

The haka uses this imagery to metaphorically describe the way some people in high positions of responsibility can get drunk on power to the point of corruption. This haka is a warning to our fellow man, lest they suffer the demise of the kūkupa.

Whakawātea - Tēnei ka mihi ake (18:37)

Long time tutors of Te Maurea Whiritoi, Toti & Frankie West, took a break from the position in 2021. With that in mind, the group decided to create a tribute piece to them both for all that they had contributed to the kapa since 2007.