Strong Voices

“Are you OK? Are you worried about your brother not being here? Don’t you worry, he’ll be close to that TV screen. He’ll be watching you.”

Those are the words of a support worker to a kapa haka performer who was feeling the pressure ahead of her performance at the Te Anga Pāua National Kapa Haka festival in Wellington in November.

Support workers from all over Aotearoa, despite not having had much sleep, were on hand to allay fears, nerves, anxiety and, in some cases, over-excitement.

There had been an immense five-year build-up to the festival in Te Whanganui-A-Tara. The last time many of these roopū had congregated was in Hamilton in 2018, after which the festival was derailed by COVID-19. For many performers, this was their first time attending.

The 2024 festival was to be the biggest yet, with 26 roopū from Invercargill to the Far North coming together to showcase their kapa haka talents on the stage at Tākina Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre.

The theme this year was ‘Noku te ao – 75 years living culture’, celebrating IHC’s 75th anniversary of supporting New Zealanders with intellectual disabilities in the community.

Vonny Davis, from IHC’s Māori Advisory Committee Te Anga Pāua o Aotearoa, says kapa haka is a living artform.

“It nourishes kiritaki (people we support) and returns them to their whenua, their whānau, their iwi.”

Aside from the high level of performance from people we support, once on the stage the festival’s kaupapa of empowerment, community and connection for people with intellectual disabilities was also on display.  

The support of one another was strong backstage, where roopū gathered to eat and prepare for performances. Each time a group prepared to leave for its performance there was rousing applause and encouraging shouts.

Once they were on stage, the talent, the mana and the love of kapa haka was on show in front of a big crowd of well-wishers and delighted Wellingtonians.

In between performances there was some great entertainment, dance contests, singing and some good laughs.

Outside the festival, roopū explored Wellington, visited Te Papa and got together for coffees with visiting family and whānau.  

Other visitors to the festival included Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro, who arrived on the first day and watched a performance by Horowhenua-Kāpiti-Mana roopū Ngā Pou Porirua. Dame Cindy then spent time speaking with performers and support workers.

Wairarapa-based MPs Kieran McAnulty and Cushla Tangaere-Manuel turned out to support their group Te Rōpū Manaaki.

Media interest in the festival meant some extra work for some of the people we support. Jessica Tyson from Marlborough roopū Ngā Whaikaha Hinengaro o Wairau fronted for an early-morning interview with Radio New Zealand’s First Up host Nathan Rarere, in which she talked about her favourite waiata, Pahiwi.

Christina Kelly from Counties Auckland, Tamaki Makarau Te Rōpu Hinengaro o Kaute was interviewed by TVNZ. The festival featured on TVNZ’s Te Karere and 1News as well as on Wellington radio stations Te Upoko O Te Ika and RadioActive.

An enormous number of people worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make this festival happen. From the performers who practised so hard to the support workers who walked with them and the volunteers who kept the day running smoothly – all contributed to taking the magic of kapa haka to the stage.

And the best part? We get to do it all again in 2026. Kia ora!

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Caption: Left to right: Taranaki’s Paka’iwi Ki Te Paka’iwi, Gisborne’s Te Roopu Atawhai o Te Tairawhiti, Te Tai Tokerau’s Nga Taonga Atawhai o Te Tai Tokerau.

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You watch the performances on the IDEA Services website