Ngā Purapura o Te Taihauāuru have taken to the national stage today as the second group to represent Aotea rohe at Te Matatini 2015. Based in Whaitara, the group was first set up to retain te reo Māori and its customs, and to teach and recite the whakapapa of their tribal connections to Taranaki and the history of Parkihaka. All of which is done under the teachings and guidance of their spiritual leaders, Tohu Kākahi and Te Whiti o Rongomai. Ngā Purapura o Te Taihauāuru was founded by the late Poi Haututu Pue in June 2002. In 2009, the dream of performing at Te Matatini was fulfilled, and they've since learnt that kapa haka is more than representing the Maunga and kaupapa Māori; it is a lifestyle, whether marae-based, on the stage or elsewhere. The group is tutored by Tony Pue, Tamzyn Pue,Ashley Urwin, Te Aroha Broughton-Pue and Matthew Tuuta-Rawiri, and their leaders today are Matthew Tuuta-Rawiri and Te Aroha Broughton-Pue.

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.