Tonight's announcement of Te Mātangirua pulled out a few surprises that no-one saw coming. Let's break it down.
Big surprises:
Firstly, the biggest shock of the day - Te Waka Huia has missed out on the Top 9 section, which is the very first time for five-time national winners from Tāmaki rohe.
Another big shock is Waihīrere from Tairāwhiti rohe also missing out on Te Mātangirua, both groups are considered strongholds at any national kapa haka competition, since the inception of the Polynesian Festival in 1972, the inaugural "Te Matatini" Festival, which Wahīrere were the winners of.
Te Matatini Chairman Herewini Parata announces Top 9 for 2019
Rohe representation:
Three groups will represent Te Arawa rohe in Te Mātangirua; Te Mātārae I Ōrehu, Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao, Te Piki Kōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai.
Another three groups, Te Iti Kahurangi, Mōtai Tangata Rau and Te Pou o Mangatāwhiri, will represent Tainui waka.
Then we have three groups solely representing their respective rohe:
Ngā Tūmanako from Tāmaki, Te Kapa Haka o Te Whānau a Apanui from Mātaatua and Whāngārā Mai Tawhiti from Tamararo, Te Tairāwhiti.
New to Te Mātangirua:
Newcomers to the Top 9 include Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai from Te Arawa rohe, whose kapa was established in 2013 and are led by Tukiterangi and Renata Curtis.
The other newcomers to the Top 9 are Mōtai Tangata Rau from Tainui rohe. Their leader Paraone Gloyne spoke exclusively to Te Kāea after the announcement.
The Top 9 in order of performance are:
1 – 8.40am - Te Mātārae I Ōrehu
2 – 9.17am - Mōtai Tangata Rau
3 – 9.54am - Te Kapa Haka o Te Whānau a Apanui
4 – 10.44 - Ngā Tūmanako
5 – 11.21am - Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao
6 – 11.58am - Te Pou o Mangatāwhiri
7 – 1.13pm - Whāngārā Mai Tawhiti
8 – 1.50pm - Te Iti Kahurangi
9 – 2.27pm - Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai