Hot Takes: Sunscreen and reo Māori precision afternoon focus at Te Matatini day two

Thursday, 23 February 2023

Hot Takes: The afternoon turned up the heat at Te Matatini on Thursday, on stage and in the crowd.

Te Matatini’s afternoon performances drew thousands away from the kai lines on day 2 of the festival.

Ngā Tūmanako began with a bang, followed by two Ngāti Kahungungu rōpū, Mātangirau and Tamatea Arikinui, Te Hekenga ā Rangi from Te Arawa and closing out the noon session was Ngā Uri Taniwha. Pou Tiaki reporter Maxine Jacobs spoke to a few spectators for their‘Hot Takes’.

Eruera Keepa (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Rārua, Te Arawa), who cycled from Wellington to be at Te Matatini this year to support the Smear Your Mea kaupapa, said Thursday’s performances have stepped it up to another level.

“Today has been amazing, the standard. I believe the standard is a little bit higher today compared to yesterday.”

* Ka tū te kapa nō Te Matau a Māui ki Te Matatini 'mō te kāinga te take'

Tāmaki Makaurau rōpū Angitū with their whakaeke (entrance) Ko Mataaho, Ko Angitū.

* Hawke's Bay rōpū ready to 'stand for home' at Te Matatini

His standouts for the day were Te Hekenga ā Rangi, Angitū and Ngā Tūmanako.

“Their execution and articulation of te reo Māori was clear, they were dynamic, there was contrast in the performance, a lot of colour, and I thought their execution was excellent.

“I also thought the engine – and I’m talking about the volume and all those foundational musical notes – they were really strong. It gave them a foundation to build on their programme.”

But Keepa said first-timers Te Hekenga ā Rangi, from Te Arawa, left a lasting impact on him.

“First time and they made an impact, they’ve left a lasting impression on the audience, and I’m sure on people watching at home on their television screens. Definitely made an impact, and they’ll be really hard to forget for me.”

Piripi McGregor (Ngāti Kōata, Ngāti Toa) took the stage on Thursday with Kia Ngāwari. His performance aside, he said he was keen to watch all the groups celebrating Māoritanga and kapa haka.

“It’s just mean, some of those groups are really on point with their brackets.

“It was probably a highlight of the day seeing Kahungungu here.

“It’s really cool that they could still come through and still represent, given what’s going on down there, all the floods and that, so I thought that was really cool that they could still make it.”

Patuara Biel (Tapuika) said the kapa haka had been getting better and better every day.

“Yesterday’s Kahungunu group was amazing, and today they just carried it on. I take my hat off to them, what they’ve been through. But I think kapa haka is part of them, and they’re doing kapa haka to, I suppose, heal themselves as well.”

His hot take? Bring sunscreen.

Alex Taniwha (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Awa) said he was amazed at the kapa haka happening before him.

“It’s just amazing, honestly it just kind of brings a bit of joy to my heart. It just brings me joy that we can sit here and watch what we did growing up and it’s on stage now.”

He couldn’t single out just one rōpū because they all had “their own flow and styles”, but he did have a hot take for those at home who didn’t come to Te Matatini – “Do better.”