After nearly 20 years of working towards qualifying for Te Matatini, Tūtara Kauika have made their debut on the national stage at Pūtaringamotu. The rōpū, based in Tauranga Moana, was founded in 1994 by Awanui Black. Tūtara Kauika ki Rangataua dedicated their captivating regional performance to the historical Battle of Pukehinahina. Today, they brought along their kaupapa, and red paint, to leave a lasting impression of their spectators. Their tutors are Awanuiaarangi Black, Maia Wharekura, Kiharoa Nuku, Rikirau Luttenberger and Teraania Ormsby-Teki, and their leaders are Maia Wharekura and Teraania Ormsby-Teki.

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.