(SOFT ACOUSTIC GUITAR MUSIC PLAYS) (GROUP PERFORMS 'TE TAONGA O TE MATATINI, E') (SINGING CONTINUES) (SINGING CONTINUES) (SINGING CONTINUES) (SINGING CONTINUES) (SINGING CONTINUES) (ALL PERFORM HAKA) (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) - IN TE REO MAORI: Te Matahaka followers and family, gather together today. Our guest is Tiahuia Ropitini. Te Matahaka is fortunate to have you join us. How are you? - IN TE REO MAORI: I am well, my mate. Greetings to you and everyone else. - This is Tuhourangi making its entrance. You are one of the performers. Let's look at the exit item from Te Matatini 2023. Explain to us that item. - The exit this year talks about our elders who guided us throughout every national campaign since 1972. Te Matatini, which was the Polynesian Festival at the time, was held on our lands at Te Papa o Rotowhio at Te Puia. We payed acknowledgement to Te Matatini and our elders. The likes of Te Kuru o te Marama Waaka, Nanny Bubbles Mihinui, Mauriora Kingi and Kiriwaitingi Rei and my grandmother, Ngamoni Huata. These were our backbones for the past 50 years of Te Matatini. - Wow, what a crew. Those were and some still are icons of the haka world. No doubt these are the examples you all follow. Your team are leaders when it comes to the poi item. Is this one of the criteria for someone to join the group? What exactly is the criteria for someone to join Tuhourangi, Ngati Wahiao? Can you give me three examples from your red basket of knowledge? - Three ways to get in ` be able to sing... - Ah. - ...be able to sing, be able to poi and entertain. - How awesome. - We are an entertaining bunch. - Knowing to sing and poi are things we are still seeing and hearing to date from this top team. When we return from the break ` we will talk more with Tiahuia about hers and Tuhourangi, Ngati Wahiao's ways of using the poi. - IN TE REO MAORI: As the Waiariki bubbles, so does my heart for our guest, Tuahuia Ropitini, as she shares gems from her group, Tuhouranga, Ngati Wahiao. They are known for their poi skills. Year in, year out Tuhourangi reach new heights in this item. But what are the poi secrets? - IN TE REO MAORI: Follow instructions from your tutors, if not, you will feel the wrath, some even made to cry. That's the secret. Follow instructions. You're not only swinging poi but add to that the singing and body movements. This is what was taught to us; the piupiu must sway, and your body must display movement. - You saw that with the 'illusion' that you have spoken about with the swinging of the four long poi. Tell us about that idea. Was that a first, seeing the four poi on the Te Matatini stage? - No, not at all. In 2019 we had four poi, but that wasn't the whole team. Also, in 2017 Te Pikotuku, o Ngati Rongomai, did that. My cousin, Matepo Hepi had choreographed that. I remember sitting with him watching that poi. I was very proud of what he had achieved, so I had said, 'You done it, cuzzie.' - The topic for this year's poi was birds. The movements and actions portrayed the different birds in the forest. Let's talk further about this poi, because, as we know, that poi placed first this year. Can you tell me more about it and the goal that was set for this item? - Kopara, is the name of the poi. This poi is in honour of two of our stalwarts. The first is Kiriwaitini from Tuhourangi and Ngati Whakaue, a skilled performer and former judge of Te Matatini. The second is Hereana Roberts, our tutor who died in Rarotonga. They are the two we likened to birds, who we sing about in the poi. Most of the actions were picked from former poi of Tuhourangi over the years, most of those were created by Hereana. That was our way of acknowledging her. The four long poi were a dedication to Nanny Del. When Nanny Del was younger, she would perform at concerts, her nanny Kiddo, Kiriwaitini, would tell her to go and perform the four long poi. We were told Nanny Kiriwaitini was the first to perform the four long poi. - What is the poi to you? What do you want to achieve? When the group stands on the stage, what are you wanting to achieve with this item? - I think the poi is there to enhance your stand on the stage. That's what my grandmother taught me. The poi is an extension of yourself. You are telling a story with the poi. The goal is to grab the attention of the audience, the intricate actions and to create new actions. A secret of mine when creating actions is to create some that can't be learnt just by watching. - The flight of the poi is likened to the flight of a bird. Let's fly now to watch the beautiful winning poi for Te Matatini 2023. Here you go. (GROUP PERFORMS 'NGA KOPARA') (ALL CHANT IN TE REO MAORI) (ALL SING IN TE REO MAORI) (SINGING CONTINUES) (SINGING CONTINUES) (SINGING CONTINUES) (SINGING CONTINUES) (SINGING CONTINUES) (SINGING CONTINUES) (MEN SING IN TE REO MAORI) (WOMEN SING IN TE REO MAORI) (MEN SING IN TE REO MAORI) (WOMEN SING IN TE REO MAORI) (ALL SING IN TE REO MAORI) (SINGING CONTINUES) (SINGING CONTINUES) (ALL CHANT IN TE REO MAORI) (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) - IN TE REO MAORI: What a beautiful sitting we are having. However, this year we didn't see the red poi or uniforms we have come to know. What's the go with these? Is this the new future and look for Tuhourangi? - IN TE REO MAORI: It's not new. Well, sort of. We had thought to wear these to honour our dead. In our eyes, these are our formal performance gears. - Ae. - Ae. We wanted to acknowledge Uncle Dan, who wore these colours in 2010, when he was the leader. He had got the idea to wear that from images he had seen of our ancestor's uniforms. If you look at archives of them at Te Whakarewarewa, the uniforms look aged. The white has turned gold because how old they were. So, this was to acknowledge Uncle Dan. He wore that in 2010, 2011 and 2013. So that's a kind of tribute to him. - What a kind gesture for such a noble man. He was a leader and carer of the next generation and future of Tuhourangi. Speaking of the future, what is the future for the group? The regionals are coming up. Is Tuhourangi, Ngati Wahiao ready for the regional? - We are still preparing at this stage. It's our first muster this weekend. Our goal, like every other year is to do well and share our stories from Tuhourangi, Ngati Wahiao too. Our Te Arawa regionals is another competition all together. - I hear there's another little performer in his mother's womb, my little Hiria. Will you be standing, making it 40 performers and a half at this year's competition? How are you feeling with your pregnancy? - I'm feeling good. But I will be honest with you, although I want to, I have decided not to stand this year. I am very FOMO. My nan has said we are not to perform while pregnant for safety reasons. If problems arise, then the blame will be put onto your iwi and group. I believe those words and will follow them as well. - While we are talking about the future, what are you wanting to see from Tuhourangi? What does the future look like for you? - My goals for Tuhourangi, Ngati Wahiao is for our people to carry on doing the mahi, share our stories, because if not then who will? To add to that, the stories of today too, that way people will bear the fruits of our home and gems. - Let's grasp that beautiful knowledge and those gems shared with us. To end our segment, let's think back to those who have gone and those who were the backbone of this group. Therefore, farewell to those who have passed on. - (CALLS IN TE REO MAORI) (GROUP VOCALISES) (ALL SING IN TE REO MAORI) (MEN SING IN TE REO MAORI) (ALL SING IN TE REO MAORI) (SINGING CONTINUES) (SINGING CONTINUES) (MEN SING IN TE REO MAORI) (WOMEN SING IN TE REO MAORI) (MEN SING IN TE REO MAORI) (WOMEN SING IN TE REO MAORI) (MEN SING IN TE REO MAORI) (WOMEN SING IN TE REO MAORI) (ALL SING IN TE REO MAORI) (SINGING CONTINUES) (SINGING CONTINUES)