- ROPU: # E Ihoa # tapu rawa to ingoa. # Anei matou nga morehu # e whakamoemiti nei. # Homai ra # e taro mo te wairua. # Ko piki ora, # piki te kaha # me te # maramatanga. # Kia piri mai # e Ihoa # ki to iwi morehu # e inoi atu nei. # Arahina matou e Ihoa # ki roto # ki to aroha # ataahua. (CHEERING) - # Ko koe ra e Ihoa # to matou piringa. # Ko koe te Arepa, # ko koe te Omeka... - # ...ka puta ka ora. - BOTH: # Horahia mai he maramatanga ki te whenua. - # Kia rongohia ake i te kaha o to kororia. - # E tuku whakaiti ana matou ki te whakamoemiti. - # Hohana hareruia! # Kia piri mai e Ihoa # ki to iwi morehu # e inoi atu nei. # Arahina matou e Ihoa # ki roto ki to aroha. # Kia piri mai e Ihoa # ki to iwi morehu # e inoi atu nei. # Arahina matou e Ihoa # ki roto ki to aroha... # ataahua. # (ALL VOCALISE) (UPBEAT MUSIC) - IN TE REO MAORI: Those are the angelic voices of Te Reanga Morehu o Ratana. Well then, our prayers have been answered with the presence of the expert, tutor and minister, Te Taepa. Taeps, tena koe! - Tena koe. - Welcome to Te Matahaka. That choral has gone viral, also with the addition of the superstar, Stan Walker! - Stan Walker. - Stan Walker, Taeps, how was working alongside him? - IN TE REO MAORI: Let's say, Stan was returning to his home to be amongst his own people. So, it was easy, but very different for those that don't really know him. - (CHUCKLES) When we first started practices, I said to my team, 'Don't be showing 'Stan on your social media.' - Keep it a secret! - Hold that! - (LAUGHS) - Hold that! - Also, adding that incredible voice to the rest of your team, a group who has been demonstrating quality choral for a long time, adding hymns as well. Let's talk further about this. What is the main goal for Te Reanga Morehu o Ratana when it comes to this item? - Firstly, I mustn't forget our elder, Te Oranga Hemi, who passed long time ago. Her and her sister Rangimarie were experts when it came to choir singing. Also, Te Takutai Moana choir group from the Ratana church were the ones singing these hymns. Their descendants are now part of the team. It was part of the Ratana group before I became the tutor. My job was grouping their skills and ensuring it was right for the competitive stage. That was a big job. Choir singing is very different to kapa haka singing. It was making sure the two aligned for the stage. Now look. This song was composed the day before scripts were due. - (EXCLAIMS) - (CHUCKLES) I hadn't taught it to the team yet. The base was there, so I needed to make sure it was taught right. It needed to be, because the scripts had already been sent. Ah! I will never do this again. But, it's always been that way in kapa haka. You leave the choral for last. (LAUGHS) - (LAUGHS) I say that's a testament to your belief ` sending in your words before teaching the song. Let's now speak more on belief and principles. What are Te Reanga Morehu o Ratana's three principles a performer must follow? - Number three, have your tactics and strategies sorted before coming to Ratana. - (SNAPS FINGERS) - Ne? If those are in line with Te Reanga Morehu o Ratana, you will be fine. If not, it will be difficult for you. To explain, if you have something on your mind or want to voice our opinion, think about it first. Don't just blurt it out. Come and listen to the foundations of Te Reanga. If they align with yours, come. Awesome! - (EXCLAIMS) Rawe. Haramai te pai. Haramai te pai, Taeps. Number two? - Number two, believe. Believe in yourself. Actually firstly, believe in Ihoa o nga Mano, or something more divine than yourself. It doesn't matter if its Maori or Christian. This is more than us. What is the true essence of this? It's believing in Ihoa o Nga Mano or something more divine. That is where we find the strength to do what we do. - Oh! How beautiful. Hold up, when we return after the break, we find out the major tip and trick from Te Taepa. - IN TE REO MAORI: Welcome back to Te Matahaka. The subject today is Te Reanga Morehu from the Ratana church. The prophet today is Te Taepa. We will find out what the main secret is for someone to crack it in Ratana. Taepa, please tell me the top secret. - IN TE REO MAORI: For me, it's showing your own specialness. - Mm. - It's your dream, not anyone else. - Mm! - Stand on your own values and pride. Don't copy others or take other groups' specialness. Follow your own path and your own aspirations. - How did you attribute those principles in your guys' entrance this year? - Our core working group for Te Reanga Morehu o Ratana met. At that time, it was very different to what you saw at Te Matatini. Ne? For two weeks, we pondered on what we had completed and it didn't sit well with us. It wasn't us. We changed the beginning. We asked, 'How does everybody see us as Ratana?' There was only one answer ` our rituals. So we took those rituals and added it in the beginning. Some said, 'The judges might not like that.' It doesn't matter. This is us. If not now, then a time will come for it. There's nothing more powerful, for us. - Taeps, tell me, what strategies did you look into to draw in the viewers? - Competition is not our main focus. We aren't using our treasured instruments for others to judge us. How do you judge the customs of the church? How do you judge iwi customs? We use these to help with the revitalisation of our treasures and to benefit the followers of Te Reanga coming through so that they know. We have the putatara, koauau, pukaea and others. But our instruments, we use for the soul. It's not like we are using the piano and that just for the sake of it. - (CHUCKLES) - But the meaning behind it all is spiritual. This group is religious, spiritual and the likes. So, all our instruments we use is to uplift the self-determination of Te Reanga Morehu o Ratana and the rest of Te iwi Morehu. - Oh! Beautifully said, Taeps. Let's take a look at that entrance. Time up for this Pere; it's Ratana's time now. (POIGNANT MUSIC PLAYS) - He whakamoemiti tatou. Inoi whakatuwhera. - E te Mangai, e nga Anahera Pono e te Tokotoru tapu, kia tatu mai koutou ki waenganui ki tenei whakamoemiti hei tatari i nga kupu katoa e whakapuaki ana e matou ki roto i to koutou kororiatanga, ko te Mangai hei tautoko. Ae. - Tapae Ripeneta! - He tapae ana matou i nga tini henga katoa kia tahuna atu ki te ahi kia pungarehu rawa atu, he whanau hou ai ki roto i te wairua ko te Mangai he tautoko. Ae. - Inoi Papa Ngakau. - E Ihoa o Nga Mano, manaakitia ma kapa haka katoa o te motu me nga iwi kua tatu mai ki Te Matatini Herenga Waka, Herenga Tangata ko te Mangai He Tautoko. Ae. - Inoi Whakakapi. - He Mangai, e nga Anahera Pono e te Tokotoru tapu, whakaungia mai matou ki roto i tou aroha noa, paiheretia ki te rangimarie mo nga wa katoa, ko te Mangai hei tautoko. Ae. (PUKAEA BELLOWS) (WOMAN PERFORMS KARANGA) - # Horomia ake te mate e te wikitoria! - PERFORM HAKA: # E te mate kei hea tou wero? # E te reinga kei hea tou wikitoria? # E koro e! # Kua tara a whare te pare kawakawa, # te takoto mai koe i te ruatangata, # ka tukua atu koe i te Rangiawhanga Awhanga # puta te ariki hei tauira # no Rangi no Rongo ki te whai ao ki te ao marama! - # Kakati! - # Hi! - # Ka whati! - # Hi! # Ka whati te tohu o te rangi # tokotoko ka ngaro te tangata, # kotahi turanga kawhakina! - # He aha taku he? - # He aha taku he i kawhakina e koe? # Ka tukua koe, ka riro ki nga ariki, # kua oti ta tenei i roto i enei ra! - # Ripiripia! - # Haehaea! - # Ripiripia! - # Haehaea! # E ahu te titiro ki Puke Turua # te okiokinga o te iwi Morehu # o te Iharaia ki runga Hinai # takoto mai ana ka kino te kiri # o kahukura i te rangi e! - # E kore e mate! - # E toru ki te mate ka ora Ratana, # waiho ma nga uri ka puta ka ora, # ka whakataukitia ake ra! # Ratana! Tu tika! - # Ma te pokapu, # hikoi tere! - # Ka taka ki te whakakokinga # ki Ratana pakia! # Pumau tonu te haere, # koroheketia te haere, # whakapiri atu ki te rangimarie, # ki te kotahitanga. # Tau, tau, # tau ana te mamae e! # (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) - IN TE REO MAORI: Welcome back to this uplifting programme, with our special guest, Taeps. Tena koe! We are very lucky to have you here. Let's look into the future of this group, Te Reanga Morehu o Ratana. The regional competition is coming up. What's the future looking like for the group? - IN TE REO MAORI: I mustn't forget to thank our leader of the church, Manuao. He is new to the role. A new leader, a new direction. It's the rise of the new generation. - Mm! It's a new dawn for our region... - (LAUGHS) That's the way forward. I must also thank my on-stage partner, Te Oranga Tamou. She's the daughter of our church leader. She is also the strict one of Te Reanga Morehu o Ratana. I'm the calm one; she's the opposite. - (LAUGHS) She's got the job of guiding the next generation, moving forward. One of the main focus for our leader, is our youth and unity. This will also be the main focus for Te Reanga Morehu o Ratana to carry for the world to see. - Another question on everyone's lips, Taeps ` We've already heard about the future of Te Reanga Morehu, and Te Kahui Maunga region, but what about the Pikiao descendant Te Taepa? What's in store for you? Will you be returning home soon? - The saying goes, 'When it's time, it's time.' It doesn't mean it's totally over for me. - (LAUGHS) - But... you know when the time comes for you to hand over the reigns. IN ENGLISH: # You gotta know when to hold 'em # - (LAUGHS) - IN TE REO MAORI: Te Reanga Morehu o Ratana have grown to where they are. Now it's time for the youth to take them into the future. It's time for me to return home amongst my people of Ngati Pikiao, to help lift the standard of my people. - E taku rangatira. Te iwi Maori has benefited greatly from your knowledge you have shared about your work with your group. You have worked tirelessly for 21 years with them. To end our great conversation this summer, I will hand it back to you, Minister, to close off our session with a blessing for our festive season. Taepa, thank you. - Thank you, Pere. A kati ake. E te Mangai, e nga Anahera Pono, e te Tokotoru tapu, kia whakaungia mai matou katoa, ki roto ki ta koutou aroha noa. Kia paiheretia ki te rangimarie tanga mo nga wa katoa. Ko te Mangai hei tautoko mai, aianei, ake nei. - BOTH: Ae. - E nga iwi, nau mai. Nau mai ra ki Te Matatini o te Kahui Maunga. - ALL: # E nga Morehu # me nga rangatira # o runga i te motu. # Ko te reo o te uru tenei, # o te Kahui Maunga. # Te maunga titohea, # te awa, te whetu marama. # Haere mai ra # nga iwi e # ki runga o... # Haere mai ra # nga iwi e # ki runga o... # te Kahui Maunga. - Haere mai ra! - # Te Maunga Titohea. # Te awa tupua. # Te whetu marama. # Tukua mai kia piri, # tukua mai kia tata, # kia eke mai ki runga # ki te Kahui Maunga. # Tukua mai kia piri, # tukua mai kia tata, # kia eke mai ki runga # ki te Kahui Maunga. # Ka pahemo te whenua, # ka pahemo te rangi # nga kupu a nga tupuna # mau tonu e! # A-a-a. # A-a-a. # A-a-a. # A-a-a. # A-a-a. # A-a-a. # E. - # Tu mai Taranaki! - PERFORM HAKA: # Tu mai te pou! Ka rewa te pou! # Whakaara ake te pou # ki runga i Te Kahui Maunga # poua rawatia taku mana tuku iho! # Mana motuhake! - # Te Kahui Maunga! - # Tiketike mai ra! - # Te Kahui Maunga! - # Roto i te kawa tapu! - # Te Kahui Maunga! - # Hapainga to mana # torotika ki a rangi e poua! # (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2023