Te Reanga Mōrehu o Rātana is the first Aotea rohe group to take to the 2015 Te Matatini stage at Pūtaringamotu. Formed in 1997, Te Reanga Mōrehu have consistently placed amongst the top groups of the Aotea region, today is their fifth appearance at national level. Te Reanga Mōrehu o Rātana have worked hard to retain their dialect and uphold the teachings of Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana, prophet and founder of the Rātana religion. The group also acknowledge their religious ties through the moon and star symbolism seen on their uniforms. Tutors of the group are Te Oranga Tamou and Te Taepa Kameta. This year, the faith-based group's theme will be the physical laws and the spiritual laws. Maria Whanarere told Te Kāea, “I don't really know the right words to accurately describe the emotion that you can feel here. It's one of religion, of being Māori, being a family, all of those sorts of emotions which have been mixed together in one big pot and it's boiling and overflowing. That's the feeling.” Taepa Kameta said, “My job is a difficult one because our group has to be ready. If not, well the fault lies with me. That's what some might think anyway, that it's my fault, but I'm prepared to take that. I told the group 60% of the work is up to them, the other 40% will be left to the Almighty Spirit to guide us." Whanarere also said, “The level at Te Matatini is a calibre unto itself. I believe it's the highest calibre of all Māori performing arts across the country and indeed the world. In saying that, those in our region are very much staunch to our unique style, the performance style of Aotea, Taranaki, Whanganui, and this is us performing as Mōrehu.” Followed by brief highlights/recap of the first four Te Haumi groups.

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.