As students and staff of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa's campuses from around the country gathered in Tauranga today for the institution's Te Mata Wānanga kapa haka competition. Organisers confirmed the future of the event is up for review.
Jim Mather, CEO of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa says, “We have gathered together as Te Wānanga o Aotearoa (TWOA) to showcase togetherness.”
Te Mata Wānanga is a biennial competition involving teams from TWOA campuses around the country.
According to Wiremu Beazley, “I was here at the first one and I'm still here 10 years later. There's nothing more important, other than education, for the staff of TWOA.”
However, the event is currently under review for improvement. Paraone Gloyne of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa says, “Management are reviewing the event so it can be better than ever. There's a lot of support for Te Mata Wānanga. So it's not just a case of postponing, finishing or getting rid of it altogether.”
There are fears amongst some of the performers concerning the review. Peri Hogan says, “I am wary that if you suspend the event, it may take too long to revive. That's what I fear could happen.”
Te Mata Wānanga was livestreamed by TWOA via their website for the first time, drawing a huge audience from here and aboard.