Manawa Mai Tawhiti comes to Te Matatini 2015 as the group who has travelled the longest distance, 5000km, from Perth, Western Australia to Christchurch. They explain that 'Manawa Mai Tawhiti' means yearning from afar, referring to the longing their members have for home - Aotearoa. Although they reside in Perth and the wider WA communities, Manawa Mai Tawhiti members believe in maintaining their Māori heritage while always respecting the other cultures, especially the indigenous people of Australia. Their tutors this year are: Matthew Paki, Shannon Tukiwaho, Rapata Hoko, Kararaina Reedy, and Monique Poi. The leaders today are Rāpata Hoko and Tāonga O Te Aroha Thomson-Lawrence. Matthew Paki told Te Kāea, "It feels great to finally be here in the South Island, to see Aoraki and meet the other top teams." It hasn't been an easy for Manawa Mai Tawhiti to get to Te Matatini. Paki explains, "It cost nearly $100,000 for plane tickets, accommodation, bus fares and costumes for our performance. That's what we were aiming for but our main goal has always been to ensure we hold on to our culture." Te Pā o Rākaihautū is home for the 40 Perth performers over this week. Followed by brief highlights/recap of the four late morning groups and lunch break interviews.

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.