Ngā Uri o Te Whanoa, established in 2006 were runners up at the last Te Arawa regionals and were the second group to take the stage in Rotorua today.
They have performed at a number of Te Matatini national kapa haka competitions and festivals around the world which include the Merrie Monarch festival in Hawaii and The Manahua Festival in Honolulu.
The group pays homage to their Ngāti Whakaue ancestry and their tupuna, Te Whanoa and embody the core values of “Creating a legacy for future generations – He toi whakaari, he mana tangata.”
Ngā Uri o Te Whanoa is led by Anaru Grant, Donna Grant and Howie Morrison Jnr who are also core tutors for the group alongside Ashleigh Grant and Anaru Grant Jnr.
Witeri Williams is the kaitātaki tāne and Ashleigh Te Rangi-Rere-i-Waho Grant is the kaitātaki wahine at this year’s regionals.
The ongoing theme and reference of the group’s performance this year is acknowledgement and honouring the late Mauriora Kingi who passed away last year.
Kingi was a beloved pillar of the community for Te Arawa waka and a champion of te reo me ōna tikanga in all his work. He is fondly remembered as a strong and vocal advocate for his people.
This year Ngā Uri o Te Whanoa have selected their Waiata ā ringa (action song) as the online item which is an acknowledgement of their great ancestor Rangitihi and his children “as emulated with the term – Ngā Pūamanawa e Waru o Te Arawa.”