(MAN SHOUTS COMMANDS IN TE REO MAORI) (GROUP SING STIRRING WAIATA) Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2023 (ALL SING POWERFUL WAIATA) (PUTATARA TRUMPET BLARES, GROUP CHANT FIERCE HAKA) (WILD CHEERING) - IN TE REO MAORI: The saying goes, 'Feel the fear but do it anyway.' Our show is fortunate to be joined by none other than Pere Wihongi. - I'm on this side of the set today. - Yes, I've had to fill in for you today. - Good. - Because you were too picky choose someone from Angitu to fill that seat. - I'll leave it to Apanui to interview me. - Well, let's start with Angitu's entrance item that won this year, 2023. You were newbies to the finals and competition. It was the first time we have seen you guys' creativity and success. So explain to me what that was like during that entrance, and performing at Te Matatini. - Yes, you are correct. It was the first Matatini for Angitu. And were very excited to be able to stand at this prestigious event and for this group, Angitu, to be able to stand for the first time. I was raised in the ranks of Te Iti Kahurangi. That's the standard, values, and experiences that I took to Angitu this year, and following the expert Kingi Kiriona. I had used those experiences to give to the urban Maori here in Auckland, my friends from school over the years, not only those from Te Kura Kaupapa Maori a Rohe o Mangere, but the other schools in wider Auckland like Nga Tapuwae, Auckland Girls Grammar, Nga Puna o Waiorea, Hoani Waititi, James Cook High School, Kia Aroha and others too. The main goal for this group is to bring together all these ex-students of schools of Auckland. This is living that dream. - Awesome. You spoke about your experiences with Te Iti Kahurangi, under the tutelage of the expert himself. That role of a tutor ` because you were just a performer previously, and you now hold the tutor reins for your group ` what is that like? You must teach your father, sister, older brother, wider family, and friends. What is it like having that role? - Firstly, I'll talk about being the tutor. I want to praise every kapa haka tutor out there, because of the pressure on them. I really miss the days of just turning up and practising. Now I worry about preparations, sending messages, sorting out practice venues, food and other things that tutors do. However, standing alongside and teaching my family and friends, I feel, is the real core of the job. I like that part of the job. I love standing with my good friends and family. But to be honest, the negative side, obviously, of this job, is the constant complaining, grumbling and arguments. - Let's dive into the three principles or standards that one must follow or achieve to stand with Angitu. - I believe that is all in the proverb left by my professor Te Wharehuia ` the first criterion to success, not only on stage but always, to put it in to context, at home, the marae and then on stage. At the end of the day, the goal is to create a successful person and successful iwi Maori. This group aims to be successful in everything we do. That's the thinking we have installed. Secondly, one must be fearless ` that's where we become successful. - I'll say. - Also, during our journey to Te Matatini a lot of fear arose throughout. I believe because of that fear, we were successful. There are a lot of lessons in fear, so one must be fearless. The third is you must have good energy. I'm not saying have a proud or critical energy. In this pursuit, the pursuit of success, there is a lot of pressure put on to people, which creates worry, anxiety, nerves. There are times when some become sour and dispirited. However I'm a true believer in the words of Dr Ngapo Wehi, when the mind is free and the spirit is willing, anything is possible. - Hold tight everyone. When we return, we will go into depth about a performer and performances from this group, Angitu. Stay tuned. - IN TE REO MAORI: Welcome back to Te Matahaka. Joining me is the one and only Pere Wihongi, to discuss his group, Angitu. My friend, thanks for joining me. - My bell has returned to ring for the show. - The problem is, Pere is sitting on the wrong side. However, we spoke earlier about the entrance item. Now we turn our attention to the haka. - Ooh! - Let's talk 'ai', but remember this is a family show. - Yes, let's do it. - We were all thinking 'sex'. - True. What better topic than that to get people really thinking? This was the first haka that I had composed. When we, the tutors, had discussed the themes for what we would be composing for this haka, we came up with the idea, Tuhoe and I, that haka were always about angry topics. We believe it's hard for us to channel an angry emotion. Indeed, we also know it can be difficult for performers. We really needed to knuckle down a good topic to pull those emotions. We wanted to find a creative motivation, and a more Maori motivation, when creating this composition. That year I had been involved in a sex discussion under the company Arataua. That's where I had learnt more in-depth korero, more Maori thinking in terms of sex talk. Some homes have decided sex talk is taboo. A lot of youth have died because their parents didn't want them to engage in sex talk, so they didn't know about safe sex, looking after their bodies, while doing something very Maori. Sex is very Maori. Many people have their own way of flirting or courting. That's the reason of the different styles seen from our performers. Some of them liken themselves to dogs. Some of them are like starfish. Right? There are all kinds. That's the good thing about the discussion. - Some are rabbits. - Yes, rabbits, starfish, turtles, everyone is different. A good thing about this haka item, it's created discussion about the style of stance. The true teaching of this haka is we need to haka, sing, chant and discuss sex more to make people aware of the safety precautions needed for our youth to grow in this world. - Yes or no ` are Angitu members experts at this? - The number of babies within our group has grown. There are eight or nine who were born this year. Some maybe experts. I encourage everyone to get into it to grow our Maori population for the future ahead. - We have all heard Pere's challenge to us all. We all need to make more children. Let's now watch this haka from Angitu, so we are part of the discussion. - (SHOUTS COMMANDS IN TE REO MAORI) (ALL SHOUT FIERCELY) (ALL CHANT POWERFUL HAKA) (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) - IN TE REO MAORI: Here comes the new kids on the block. Who are they? They are Angitu. Joining me is none other than their teacher, Pere Wihongi. Greetings, my friend. - Matahaka vibes to everyone. - Let's look ahead for your team, for Angitu. As we think and look back to what was achieved on the Te Matatini 2023 stage, what is next for you to tear down that roof and break down the barriers of haka? - And we haven't finished either. The road ahead will be a long journey. Therefore, for the direction of Angitu, I will let the spirit decide. One of our journeys' will be trying to get to the win, which will mean not to staying the same level, but climbing to the next level. What does that look like? We will have to wait and see. - While we are talking about the up-and-coming regionals, share with me the choral. - # Tamaki herehere... # No! We will be rehashing the Te Matatini bracket. (BOTH LAUGH) The programme is the same, for Matatini. - I know you, Pere. You will never repeat. - When we turn the cameras off. My competitors might hear. But to be honest, we haven't quite finished. Please share with me your Apanui spirit, so that we can succeed with our kapa haka next year. - I send it to Angitu. So, everyone, let's now watch the winning poi from Te Matatini 2023 from Angitu. Here is te poi Huia. (ALL CHEER) (ALL SING CHEERFUL WAIATA) Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2023