Ngāti Rangiwewehi from the Te Arawa region are the second group to take the stage on Day 1 of Te Matatini 2015, and as the venue starts to fill, spectators coming through were treated to a powerful performance. The group tutors this year are Deana Rika, Dan Vaka and Te Whānau o Ngāti Rangiwewehi, and their leaders today are Deana Rika and Murray Bidois. The two-time national winning rōpū made an impressive return to the national stage; their last national win was in 1996 on home soil in Rotorua, and their first win was in 1983 in Hastings. Their mission as a kapa is to promote their "Rangiwewehitanga" through performing arts, to stand proud as descendants of Ngāti Rangiwewehi and ensure the legacy continues for generations to come.

Te Matatini 2015. Every two years, Te Matatini organises the Te Matatini National Kapa Haka Festival, where top kapa haka teams from New Zealand and Australia compete for the honour of being crowned the best of the best. The festival started in 1972 and is now the world’s largest celebration of Māori traditional performing arts, attracting over 30,000 performers, supporters and visitors. The competition is held over four days with 45 teams split into three pools, Te Ihu, Te Haumi and Te Kei. The three teams with the highest combined marks from each pool will compete in the competition finals. The nine finalists are then judged afresh to determine the new Toa Whakaihuwaka - overall agreggate winner. Kapa haka teams are required to perform six disciplines within their performance piece - whakaeke (a choreographed entry), mōteatea (traditional chant), poi (light ball swung on the end of a rope), waiata-ā-ringa (action song), haka and whakawātea (exit). They must perfect every discipline in a polished 30 minute performance.