Te Tarata

This composition placed second in the Haka Composition Section. Te Tarata this composition commemorates the battle of Te Tarata in Te Whakatōhea 15 October 1865. This was the aftermath of the killing of the missionary Rev Carl Sylvius Volkner on the 2 March 1865. At the battle of Te Tarata it is recorded as the only calvary charge in the New Zealand Land Wars. Te Whakatōhea ingeniously wove around the palisade walls tī kouka (Cordyline australis) or cabbage tree. When the canon ball hit the palisades the tī kouka absorbed the force of the canon ball and rebounded the ball. 20 Te Whakatohea were killed and a number of others were wounded. This composition was performed by Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti at the Te Matatini World Championship Kapa Haka Competition 2015

Horowaewae

Horowaewae is dedicated to Horowaewae Maxwell a Te Matatini Lifemember. Horowaewae is from the Rotorua area and the Te Arawa iwi. He is a foundation member of the champion kapa haka Ngāti Rangiwewehi. Horowaewae has been a performer, a male leader, the Te Arawa delegate to the Te Matatini National Committee. He has served kapa haka in its development since the inception of Te Matatini in 1972 and prior to this performing in the tourism industry in Rotorua. Horowaewae was performed by Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti at the 2013 Te Matatini World Championship Kapa Haka Competition

E Ara Apanui

E Ara Apanui recites the genealogical links between the Te Whakatōhea iwi and the host people of the Te Whānau a Apanui iwi. This new composition was performed by Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti at the Mātaatua Regional Kapa Haka Competition to qualify for Te Matatini 2013

Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti

Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti competed at the Mātaatua Regional Kapa Haka Competition 2014 to qualify for the Te Matatini World Championship Kapa Haka Competition 2015, Christchurch. Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti placed first overall, 1st mōteatea, 1st, Haka, 1st Whakawātea, 1st Female Leader, 1st Male Leader, 1st Waiata Tira, 1st Te Reo, 1st Original Composition, 1st Costume, 2nd Waiata a Ringa, 2nd, Poi, 2nd Whakaeke

Hāwatewate

Hāwatewate; this composition is in remembrance of the hanging of the Ōpōtiki missionary Rev Carl Sylvius Volkner by the Hauhau, Kereopa Te Rau of Ngāti Rangiwewehi of Te Arawa. As a consequence the Te Whakatōhea chief Mokomoko was wrongly convicted and executed by hanging in Mount Eden Prison 17 May 1866. 143870 acres of Te Whakatōhea land was confiscated under the New Zealand Settlements Act 1863. This item placed third in the Whakaeke discipline and was performed by Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti at the Te Matatini World Championship Kapa Haka Competition 2015

Te Kuranui

Ko te tūāpapa o tēnei kōrero Te Kuranui he titiro ki te tūāpapa o Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti kapa haka. He aha te take i whakatūngia ai tēnei Kuranui e karangatia ana ko Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti? Hai tāhūhū mō tēnei tuhinga raurūtia tēnei kupu whakaari a Te Kōoti Arikirangi; “He Kura hoki ahau”, me tēnei wehenga o te mōteatea nāna; Te Pono ki runga rā, te ara mai o te tika. Tukua mai ki raro nā te maungarongo; te whana i tū ai nā te kotahitanga; te aroha i mau ai. Ana ko te Kupu Whakaari nei; He Kura hoki ahau he wewete i tēnei Kupu Whakaari kia kite i te hōhonu o te tikanga ōna hai whakatamārama i tō Te Kōoti wawata hai kura i tana iwi Ringatū me tā te kaituhi whakaraupapa i ēnei kura ki roto i te whakairotanga i te Kuranui nei. Ka rua kua tātaritia tēnei wehenga o te mōteatea nei kia rima ōna wāhanga hai taki i tēnei tuhinga epā ana ki te Kuranui nei a Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti. Tuatahi Te Pono ki runga rā, ka titiro ki te kaituhi nei me tōna whakatipuranga i ōna kaumātua me ō rātou kuranga i a ia kia tohenihorau ki tōna ao Māori. He kuranga ēnei hai maungāngākau, maungāhinengaro ki te whakaturuki i te Kuranui a Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti. Te ara mai o te tika, ko te whakatūtanga o te kapa haka nei a Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti te Kuranui,arā te whakapaparanga mai i te kapa i tōna tīmatatanga ki te wā tonu nei. Tukua mai ki raro nā te maungarongo; ko te whakapono tēnei wāhanga, ko te ū o Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti ki tēnei kura a Te Kooti Arikirangi. Te whana i tū ai nā te kotahitanga;ko te titiro ki te pouārahi me te whakapau kaha ki te tuitui i ngā whakaaro o te katoa, ko te ranga i te iwi, ko te pupuri i te iwi, i te kapa haka ki tōna, rautaki, whāinga ko te whakakotahitanga i te iwi i raro i te kaupapa o Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti. Te aroha i mau ai, ko te aroha ki te iwi, ko te aroha ki te kaupapa, ko te whakaū, whakapūmau i te moemoeā kia whakahokia mai te toheariki ki te iwi kia tū toherauariki a Te Whakatōhea i raro i te korowai o Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti

E Kui Rāwinia

E Kui Rāwinia; this composition is a lament to a Te Whakatōhea chieftainess who married the paramount Ngāti Porou rangatira Tokorua (Toko) Te Kani. This composition recites the genealogical ties between the East Coast iwi to Te Whakatōhea. The composition paints a spiritual journey for Rāwinia to return to her birth place Ōpōtiki. The journey names geographical features of importance to map her journey home. This composition gained first place for composition. Performed by Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti at the Te Matatini World Championship Kapa Haka competition

Tāwharautia Aotearoa

Tāwharautia Aotearoa was composed in opposition to the National Governments attempt to remove Section 9 of the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi which would give the Government power to sell State assets. Performed by Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti at the Te Matatini World Championship Kapa Haa Competition 2013

E Tama Hikairo

E Tama Hikairo was composed to welcome Kīngi Tūeheitia's the Māori Kings first grandchild that was born in September 2014. Kīngi Tūheitia had Te Haahi Ringatū tūā (Christen) Hikairo. This composition talks about the royal genealogy of Hikairo that links him to all the iwi of the land and his special place in Te Haahi Ringatū. This item placed first overall in the choral section. This item was performed by Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti at Te Matatini the World Championship Kapa Haka Championship