The excitement at Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga has reached new heights as the 55 competing kapa have been narrowed down to just 12
The excitement at Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga has reached new heights as the 55 competing kapa have been narrowed down to just 12 finalists!
Te Ihu (Pool 1):
Te Haumi (Pool 2):
Te Kei (Pool 3):
Te Awa (Pool 4):
These 12 kapa will return to the atamira on March 1, with all previous rankings reset. The competition is wide open, and the ultimate winner will claim the prestigious Te Toa Whakaihuwaka title, the Ngāpō Pīmia Wehi Duncan McIntyre trophy, and the honour of representing Aotearoa internationally.
This year’s festival has brought together the best of kapa haka, with 55 teams competing at Pukekura/Bowl of Brooklands in Taranaki—the largest number of qualifying groups in Te Matatini history. Since February 25, performers have delivered breathtaking displays of waiata, haka, and storytelling, honouring their ancestors and iwi.
Today marks the final round of preliminary performances, with 13 teams still to take the stage. Among them, Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue—Te Arawa regional champions and 2023 Te Matatini second-equal winners—opened day three with a moving tribute to the late Tā Bom Gillies.
Stay tuned as we bring you live updates from Te Matatini 2025, where the battle for kapa haka supremacy is far from over!
#TeMatatini2025 #KapaHaka #TeKāhuiMaunga
Reference By : https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360595873/te-matatini-live-performers-take-stage-day-three