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

Te Kaunati Hikahika a Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti: Ka hika i taku ahi, kimihia e Te Whakatōhea te ara o te tikanga i pai ai te noho i te ao nei

Pinepine Te Kura 1 1.1 Te Rongopai Ko te rangakura nei he titiro ki te Kapa Haka o Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti me tana rautaki ki te whakaora i tōna iwi a Te Whakatōhea mā roto mai i ngā mahi kapa haka. Ko Te Whakatōhea he iwi i pāhua kinotia ai ahakoa he iwi harakore, i whiua tonutia nuitia ki te whiu taumaha. Ko tēnei rangakura he titiro ki te kapa haka nei me tōna whai kia whakarauora ai i ngā marae, i ngā hapū o Te Whakatōhea kia mau ai ngā tikanga marae, kia whakarauora ai i ngā tikanga marae, kia whakarauora i te reo o Te Whakatōhea, kia whakatipu i te whakapono o Te Ringatū, whakatipu i ngā tohunga Ringatū, mā roto mai i ngā akoranga ki te kapa haka i raro i ngā tikanga whakapono tapu a Te Hāhi Ringatū. Ko Te Hāhi Ringatū me tōna poropiti a Te Kooti; ko Te Matua Tangata te waka i whakapaua katoatia e Te Whakatōhea ō rātou ngākau, ō rātou kaha, ō rātou whakapono ki a Te Kooti me tōna whakapono hou. Ko te waka tēnei i ūtaina katoatia ō rātou tūmanako ki runga. Te take i whānau mai te whakapono o Te Kooti, arā Te Ringatū nō muri tata mai i te raupatutanga o te whenua o Te Whakatōhea i te tau 1866, ā, nō te 1868 Te Hāhi Ringatū, nō te 1869 i tau ā takahanga waewae a Te Kooti me tana whakapono ki roto o Te Whakatōhea. He whakapono i whānau mai ai i roto i te pakanga whenua, he whakapono i whānau mai i roto i te harakore, he whakapono i pakanga kia ora ai ai tōna poropiti, he whaapono i pakanga ai kia ora ai tōna hāhi; Te Hāhi Ringatū, he whakapono i pakanga ai kia ora ai ngā tikanga a te Māori. Ā, e ora tōnu nei. He iwi motuhake a Te Whakatōhea ki te Moana a Toi, ko tōna manawa ko te taone o Ōpōtiki. He tikanga ahurea whai mana tōna, e ngiha tonu nei tōna ahi kāroa ki tōna whenua ki te whakaū i tōna rangatiratanga me te pupuri i ōna tāhuhu kōrero, tūāuriuri, whāioio. Ka hoki whakatenehe tēnei tāhuhu ki Hawaiki rā anō, ki te hekenga mai o ngā waka ki Aotearoa, ko Nukutere ki Awaawakino, ko Mātaatua waka ki Kākahoroa ki Whakatāne, ana, ka pouwhenuatia mai ko Te Whakatōhea iwi, Whakatōhea hapū, Whakatōhea papakāinga, Whakatōhea whenua, Whakatōhea Mana Atua, Whakatōhea Mana Ariki, Whakatōhea Mana Tangata. Hoi anō ehara i te mea i āiopīpī ai ngā wai i ngā wā katoa, i konā tonu ōna ihinga moana, wharenga moana, mararanga moana. Arā tonu, i pūtikingia ōna taura a roto ki ōna piringa iwi, hoi he wā anō; “E riri ana a Tū rāua ko Rongo i tā rāua māra. Koia a Pōhutukawa ka patua tētahi koia moenga kura, ka patua tētahi koia moenga toto. Rāua ka hē i te riri ka tīkina ki waho rā ki a Marere o tonga, ki a Tumu Whakairia e ora ana te wānanga, mauria mai nei ko te rongo ā whare, ko te rongo taketake ki mua ki te Atua, ka whakahotu i te riri” (Te Kooti). Ko te whakapae ururoa anō tētahi i hau mai nei i waho i te moana ki Te Whakatōhea, ko te ngau whakapae i te rau tau tekau mā iwa i rerekē ai tāna noho ki tōna ao, arā, ko ngā taru tawhiti, ko te hoko i te roi o te whenua, ko ngā kairiri, ko te rauwhaitanga a te patu i te whenua me te taikoko i koko ai te Pākehā, i kihirua ai a Te Whakatōhea ki tōna ao mō te ake, ake. Kāore hoki e te wā i hua ai inangeto ko te pani ki a Te Whakatōhea, i pani ki te whenua, i pani ki te tangata, i pani ki te tikanga. Ka noho pōhara a Te Whakatōhea, ka eke ai te whakataukī; “Te Whakatōhea Huarahi”; arā he iwi korekore nei te rawakore. I roto i tēnei wā o te pōkaikaha, o te whakarihariha i puta ake he tangata nana i hora he māramatanga nui ānō ko Autahi i mahuta mai i te pae. Nā, ko ōna hihī, he tūmanako, ko tōna purata, he whakapono, nā i koropiko nui ai a Te Whakatōhea ki tōna mana Atua. Ko Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Turuki e mōhiotia whānuita ana tērā, ko Te Matua Tangata tēnei te haere nei, he mana atua, he mana poropiti, he rākaukawa ki te riri, he rākaukawa ki te kupu, he manukura, koia hoki te kaihere i te taura kaha o te kotahitanga i raro i a Ihowā Te Atua ora o ngā mano. I waenganui i te rau tau tekau mā iwa i te wā o te inati, o te pōrahurahu i tahuri ngā iwi ki te whai i a Te Kooti. Nō te Hānuere o te tau 1869 i tapuwaetia e Te Kooti ki roto o Te Wera, ki roto o Te Whakatōhea. Ka mutu, ka ārahina e Hira Tepopo me Te Whakatōhea a Te Kooti ki roto o te Te Urewera. I tāwharautia a Te Kooti e Ngāi Tūhoe, i reira i takoto tana kupu: ‘Ahakoa koutou whaiwhai i ahau me te Kāwana anō hoki e kore ahau e mau i a koutou. E kore hoki ahau e mau i a koutou. Ā mā te mate hauaitū noa iho e mate ai ahau.’ I reira i Tāwhana i te 26 o Maehe 1869 i tuku a Ngāi Tūhoe i raro i a Te Kooti; tuku tangata, tuku whenua (Binney, 1990). Tekau tau a Te Kooti e noho ana i te maru o Ngāti Maniapoto ki te Nehenehenui 1873 – 1883. I reira i whakakaupapatia e ia ana karakia, ana Rā, ana tikanga whakahaere i tana whakapono o Te Ringatū, ana mōteatea, ana kupu whakaari, ana whare whakairo, whare rūnanga, wharekarakia. Ka huihui mai te tini o te tangata o Te Tai Rāwhiti, o Mātaatua ki te whakarongo ki ana tohutohu. Ka whakaae rātou he mana whakaora tūroro, he mana poropiti ōna. I hau ai tōna rongo (Binney, 1990). Ko te kāmaka o Te Kooti ko tōna whakapono hou, arā Te Ringatū te rēhita mō te tini mō te mano i mate i te hoari whakawai a te Pākehā. I whati mai a Te Whakatōhea i runga i tēnei tai whakapono, tai mau tāngata. Inā noa atu te awe nui o Te Kooti ki runga i a Te Whakatōhea. Kua rokiroki ki te pātaka kōrero o Te Whakatōhea; “E kore rawa tēnei pūranga e pahemo, ko āna kupu ia e kore e pahemo.” Ka mau tonu āna karakia, āna waiata, āna kupu whakaari i tēnā whakatipuranga, i tēnā whakatipuranga, i a Te Whakatōhea. Tau rawa iho ki tēnei wā he poutokomanawa tēnei kura nui, tēnei kura roa, tēnei kura nā Tūhaepō, arā tēnei kura tapu nā Te Kooti hai kura mō Te Whakatōhea. Ehara i te mea nō nā noa ake nei, kua tū a Te Whakatōhea hai maninitua, hai maniniaro mō roto i te māratapu o te kapa haka, koia nei te māra taketake a te Māori e mate hiahākari nei ōna hua e te tini, ōna koiora e te mano puta noa i te ao whānui. Kua matomato te tipu mai o te kapa haka ki ngā kokoru katoa o te whenua, kātahi te makuru o tōna miere ko te tohu tēnā ki te ao i te tino rangatiratanga o te Māoritanga mā roto mai o te kapa haka. Nō te wā o te Kapu Whutupōro o te Ao 2015 ki Aotearoa nei ko ngā mahi kapa haka i whakanuitia whānuitia. Ahakoa i hea i te whenua nei te kēmū i pākangatia ai, arā he kēmū i kō, i kō tonu he haka, he kēmū i kō, i kō tonu he haka, arā, kāore e hapa, he kēmū, he haka, he kēmū, he haka. Koiarā i whakapāhō i runga i te kare o ngā wai ki te tini makehua puta i te ao whānui, i te ao whāroa, ko te haka. Me te mea hoki nō mua noa atu tō tātou kapa toa, Te Kapa Ōpango i nui ai tēnei taonga te haka ki te ao katoa, mā te haka a Te Rauparahā: Ka mate! Ka mate! Engari he nui noa atu te mahi kapa haka i te mahi kapa haka noa iho. Kapa haka is more than just performance. It is a unique part of our identity as New Zealanders and helps facilitate meaningful connections with other cultures. The very strong belief that kapa haka contributes to social cohesion, positive health and educational outcomes and economic vitality… (Tipene, 2014. p. 3). I roto i tēnei ao hou, he waka kē ia nei hai utanga nui atu i te tuakiri me te mana Māori motuhake ki runga. Koianei tonu nei te waka hai hoehoenga mā Te Whakatōhea ki te whāngai, ki te pupuri hoki i āna kōrero tuku iho o tuāukiuki, ngā kura huakuru tapu hoki a Te Kooti, ngā tōrangapū, ngā tūmanako, ngā whakahau, ngā akiaki, me ngā whakakitenga. He waka hoki hai whakarauora i te reo o Te Whakatōhea, ōna kōrero, tōna mita, āna kīwaha, ōnā whakataukī me ōna pepehā me ngā kura huna. He waka tēnei te kapa haka hai whakarauora i ngā tikanga marae, ko ngā paetapu ērā, ko ngā paekaranga ērā, ko ngā paemōteatea ērā. Ko tā tēnei tuhikura he hura i tēnei tāhuhu me te whakatewhatewha i tā Te Kooti whakairo i tōna kura ki te ihomatua me te ihopūmanawa o Te Whakatōhea hai ihoatua, hai ihomatua. Ko te whakatūwhera hoki tērā i ōna kura ki te mātaitia ihotia kia kite pēhea tā Te Whakatōhea pūtiki i ēnei aho matua ki te taurapa o te waka nei o te kapa haka. Nō reira ko te ariā o tēnei tuhikura, ‘ko te hura i ētahi kura o Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Turuki, me te whakatewhatewha i ēnei kura me tāna tārai i te tuakiri o Te Whakatōhea mā roto mai i te waka nei o te kapa haka. Nō reira ko tā tēnei tuhikura he urupare i te urupounamu, pēhea nei te whakarauora i te reo, i te mita, i ngā tikanga; whaikōrero, karanga, mōteatea a Te Whakatōhea i raro i ngā kura o Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Turuki mā roto mai i te waka o te kapa haka o Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti e pupuri ai i tōna tuakiri? I roto i tēnei tuhikura, anei anō ētahi atu urupounamu ka whakatewhatewhatia: • Ko wai a Te Whakatōhea? • Ko wai a Te Kooti? • He aha ngā kura o Te Kooti me ngā pānga o ēnei ki a Te Whakatōhea? • He aha te kapa haka? • Pēhea e whakapuakitia ai ngā kura o Te Kooti mā roto mai i te kapa haka? • He aha ngā pānga o te kapa haka me ngā kura o Te Kooti ki te tuakiri o Te Whakatōhea? 1.2 Te Ara o Ēnoka Te Ako a Horomona Whakataukī 4: 1-5, 9 Whakarongo e ngā tamariki ki te ako a te Matu...a... tahuri mai hoki kia mātauria ai ngā whakaaro mōhio. He pai hoki te kupu mōhio ka hoatu nei e ahau ki a koutou, kaua tāku ture e whakarerea. Ko te tamaiti hoki ahau a tōku pāpā he ngāwari, he mea matenui nā tōku whae...a... I whakaako anō ia i a au, i mea mai ki a au, kia puritia āku kupu e tōu ngākau, kia mau ki āku whakahau, ā, e ora koe. Tāu taonga e mea ai māu ko te whakaaro nui; tāu e mea ai māu ko te mātauranga; kaua e wareware; kaua hoki e neke atu i ngā kupu a tōku māngā...i... Ko te karakia o runga ake nei, ko te karakia Tūā tēnei i te tamaiti ki roto ki Te Hāhi Ringatū. Ko te tūā, he rite ki te tohi, he kupu, he ingoa, he momo karakia, ko tōna pūtakenga maitanga nō te tūāuriuri i tōia mai e Te Kooti ki roto ki tana whakahaere a Te Hāhi Ringatū. Te Āritaritatanga Ko tēnei kōrero e whai ake nei he tuhura i tōku ao, tōku whakatipuranga, ngā whakangungutanga, ngā whakahautanga me ngā whakamātautauranga i tōku whakapakeketanga ki tēnei ao. He kōrero tēnei e whakatūwhera i ngā whatu o te hinengaro, e whakatūwhera hoki i ngā taringa o te ngākau o te hunga ka whai wāhi ki tēnei tuhikura, ki tēnei rangakura, ko konei e mārama ai ki te take i tuhia ai ēnei kōrero, i rangakuratia ai tēnei kaupapa ki te kairangakura nei. I whānau ahau ki roto i te iwi o Te Whakatōhea ko Te Kahautu (Dudu) rāua ko Matirerau (Tuda) ōku mātua. Ko taku pāpā he maha ōna tātai ko Te Whakatōhea, Ngāi Tai, Ngāti Awa, Tūhoe, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Porou. Ko taku māmā nō Te Whakatōhea, Te Whānau a Apanui me Ngāti Porou. Ko ahau te pōtiki, tokoono mātou kotahi te mea wahine, koia te tuatoru. Kua pakeke kē aku tuākana i taku whānautanga mai. I taku tīmata ki te kura ko taku tuakana i mua i ahau kua tae kē ia ki te tau tuaiwa. Ko ngā mea pakeke kua mutu kē ki te kāreti, kua puta ki te mahi. Nō reira i rerekē pea tōku ao. I whai wāhi nui ai ōku tīpuna ki tōku whakatiputanga, ko taku tipuna koroua a Te Wiremu rāua ko taku tipuna kuia a Kaa Mākiwhara me te huhua noa atu o rātou o te wākāinga. I pakeke ahau ki roto o Te Whakatōhea, i kuraina ahau ki roto o Te Whakatōhea, i whāngaitia ahau ki te taro māro a Te Whakatōhea, ko ōna whakapapa ērā, ko ōna kōrero ērā, ko ōna hītōria ērā. I pakeke ahau ki roto i ngā mahi tōrangapū e pā ana ki a Te Whakatōhea, ko tōku tipuna koroua a Te Wiremu Hoeta Makiwhara te Hiamana o Te Poari Māori o Te Whakatōhea, koia hoki te Hiamana o Te Whakatōhea Tribal Executive, Te Taraipara. Koia hoki te māngai mō Te Waiariki ki runga ki te Kaunihera Māori o Aotearoa, koia te Hiamana o Te Poari o Te Kāreti o Ōpōtiki. I whakataetae ia kia tū hai Mema Māori mō Nāhinara ki te Tairāwhiti. Koia hoki te Farm Supervisor mō ngā kaupapa ahuwhenua a tana matua kēkē a Tā Apirana Ngata. I pakeke ahau ki runga ki te marae o Terere ki roto o Te Whakatōhea, ko Ngāti Ngahere taku hapū. I ākona ahau e ōku tīpuna ki te whaikōrero, tuatahi nā taku tipuna koroua nā Te Wiremu, nō tana matenga i te tau 1976 ka riro mā taku tipuna kuia mā Kaaterina ahau e tohutohu ki te whaikōrero me te mau patu wahaika, i te mea nā tana koroua a Ngakohu Pera ia i ako ki te mau meremere. Nō te tau 1979 i hoki mai a Tā Monita Delamere i Kawereau ki Ōpōtiki hai Hekeretari mō Te Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board, ka noho koia taku tohunga tae atu ki tana matenga i te tau 1992. I kuraina ahaun ki te mōteatea me te haka anō hoki i ahau e tamariki ana. I kuraina ahau ki ngā karakia Ringatū me ōna kōrero me āna tikanga. I kuraina ahau ki roto i te wānanga o Te Whakatōhea i ahau e poniponi ana, ā taea noatia taku taipakeketanga. Nōku e tekamāwaru taku pakeke ka tohungia ahau e Tā Mōnita Delamere hai tohunga Ringatū, ā, kai te mau tonu tērā tūranga ināianei, ā, ko ahau te Hiamana o Te Wainui koia rā te tarahiti whenua o Te Hāhi Ringatū e 600 eka, ko ahau hoki te hiamana o Te Hāhi Ringatū. Kua whakatōkia noatia ki roto i ahau i taku tamarikitanga te kākano o Te Ringatū. Kāti, i rumakina ahau ki ngā tikanga tapu o Te Ringatū i ahau e tamariki ana ki ngā rekereke o aku tīpuna ki roto o Te Whakatōhea puta atu ki roto o Te Whānau a Apanui i waenganui i te mātotorutanga o te māoritanga, te mana, te ihi, te wehi me te tapu. Ehara i te mea he ahurei motuhake nōku taku tipuranga ki te ao nei i waenganui i taku iwi. E kao, he Ringatū te nuinga o taku iwi. Haere ai mātou ki ngā Rā ki roto o Te Whakatōhea. Ko ngā Rā kai te kōrerotia i konei, ko ngā rā tapu hai karakia mā Te Ringatū. Ko te rongo a te taringa i te takutaku a ngā tohunga me te iere a te whakaminenga i ngā waiata, i ngā karakia i ngā haora o te pō, ā, i parangia te tamaiti e te moe, ā, i ngā haora o te atapō, i whakaohongia te wairua o te tamaiti i te moe. Hai ngā tangihanga, hai ngā hura kōhatu, hai ngā huihuinga o te hunga ora, hai ngā tira haere ko te taiapa tūtaki ko Te Ringatū me āna karakia i roto i te pōuri te māramatanga e whiti ana. Koinei te panehe i tāraitia ai taku iwi me taku ao tamariki, arā ko te haumi i te whakapono Māori me te whakapono Pākehā kia kotahi hai takere mō te waka kawe i taku iwi, hai whawhai mō te mana Māori motuhake. I roto i ngā Rā me ngā akoako (he momo kura) i wānangatia āna kupu whakaari, āna poropiti, āna waiata, āna karakia me āna mahi tipua, nā konā i hikaina ai te ahi tapu a Rāwiri ki te kaunati hikahika e mumura ai ki te kura o Te Kooti mā roto mai i ērā wānanga o ngā tohunga, o ngā ruahine hoki, o te kāhui mōhio ki ngā kōrero, rātou i kai i te tapu. Ko tōku Ringatūtanga nō ōku tīpuna rā anō. Kua matemate katoa ngā kaumātua i rangona ai e ngā taringa o tōku ngākau, nāna ahau i tohu, i whakatū hai Pou mō te hāhi. Kāore e hapa ka pēnei ahau, tōku ao inā hemo tōku kaha i roto i taku tinana. Nōku e poniponi ana haere ai ahau ki ngā Rā me ōku kaumātua pakeke. Ka tae ki ngā Rā kua kore ngā tamariki Ringatū i te kura. He pai ki a mātou ki te tōti kura, ko tā mātou he tākaro; he Bullrush, he Kēhua, British pakanga ki ngā Tiamana me te kai. Engari, ina tangi mai te pere kua tarai mātou ki te huna, kātahi ka rongo mātou i te reo o te Pirihimana kua haramai ki te kimi i a mātou, ā, kua huna anō. Nāwai rā kua mau, ā, kua perea ō mātou taringa, kua hāua rānei ō matou ringaringa, ō mātou waewae ki tana rākau. He rākau tō ngā Pirihimana i ērā wā, kua hāua hoki ko ngā pakeke kua parangia e te moe i roto i te karakia. Ana kua kuhu mātou ki te wharenui ki te karakia, kua kataina e ngā kaumātua, kua rīrīa e ngā kuia kōhetehete hoki. Ko Himiona Kahika rāua ko tana tamāhine a Hīria Akurangi ngā kaumātua kawe i ahau ki ngā Rā. I mōhio a Himiona ki a Te Kooti. Nō tōna matenga i te tau 1986 kua 98 ōna tau. Ko tana whare i Terere kāore he wai wera kāore i pā te wai wera ki tana ūpoko i a ia e ora ana. He tapu rawa. Kāore he kīhini i tōna whare nā tōna tapu, haere kē ai a ia ki te whare o Hīria kai ai. Kāore ōna hoa kōrero, te take hai tamariki māna ngā tohunga o taua wā kai ngā whitu tekau, kai ngā waru tekau noa iho te pakeke. Nō te ao kōhatū kē a Himiona, he koroua tapu. Kāore a Himiona i mōhio ki te tuhituhi, he rīpeka tāna tuhi ki te tango moni mai i te pēke. Mōhio ahau i reira ahau e mahi ana, ki te pēke. Engari mō te karakia, hai a ia katoa rawa, ngā karakia katoa. He karakia tāna mahi i te ao, i te pō. He karakia mō te hau, he karakia mō te ua, he karakia mō te kōpere, mō te ruru, mō te moana, mō te pōpokoriki. He karakia mō ngā mea katoa. Nō tōna matenga, i kite rawa ake ia i tana moenga e noho tū ana me te tū o tana ringa. Ae rā i mate ia i a ia e karakia ana. Ki ahau nei i te whakahorohoro i ōna tapu kia kaua e whai wāhi ki a mātou o muri nei. He wahine tapu a Hīria, he wahine kōhetehete i te tangata ki te hē ngā mahi. Mataku ngā tāngata i a Hīria, ko ngā mea tāne rawa. He wahine i āta ākona ki ngā karaipitrure. Hai tāna o ngā tamariki katoa o Terere koia anake i tukuna ki te Kura Rātapu, ki ngā Mihingare ki te ako i ngā karaipiture. Mō te karakia i a ia katoa. Nāna tonu i whakatakariri tana pāpā i a Himiona i te pānga o te wareware ki a ia. Nā Hīria i whakaako ngā tohunga o Te Whakatōhea, ko ngā koroua ērā i ahau e tamariki ana; ko Te Rama Mītai tērā, ko Reti Williams tērā, ko Te Pāroa Kūrei tērā, ko Te Mokotua Pāpuni tērā. Hai tā te kuia nei nāna rātou katoa i ako i te wānanga nāna i whakatū ki Terere. Anā, i pau te kotahi marama ki roto ki tana wānanga. Ko ngā tohunga ērā, tohunga mātau ki ahau, ki tā te tamaiti titiro, whakaaro, whakapono o taua wā. Koinei ngā kaumātua, nāna ahau i whakaruku ki ngā wai o Meripā ki te kai i ngā tapu o Te Atua; ko Himiona rāua ko Hīria. Nō muri rawa mai i hoki mai taku matua a Tā Mōnita Delamere ki te whare o taku kuia noho ai ki a Kaaterina Maxwell, nō te 1978. I hoki mai ia i Kawerau ki te whakahaere i te Poari o Te Whakatōhea. I taku hokinga ki te kāinga i tētahi rangi i muri mai i te kura, i reira e tū ana tētahi kōroua tōrea. Ka titiro mai ki ahau me taku pōhēhē kua whai koroua anō ahau. Ehara hai tūngāne kē a ia ki taku kuia. Ko tāna meatanga mai; “Kia ora, he Ringatū koe?” Ko taku whakahoki, ae. Mai i tērā wā tae atu ki taku haeretanga ki te Whare Wānanga o Waikato i te tau 1991 ko Mōnita taku maunga, te kaiwhakaturuki i ahau ki ngā mahi Māori e mau ana i ahau i tēnei wā. Ia pō Wenerei ka noho māua ki te “akoako” koira tā māua wānanga. Ka whakaturuki i ahau ki ngā mahi karakia a Te Ringatū; tuatahi ko te karakia “Moata”. Hai tāna me mohio ngā tohunga katoa ki te Moata i te mea hai te atapō rawa tērā karakia, kāore hoki he raiti, nō reira me mātau te tohunga ki te Moata. Hai tāna anō ki te kore koe e mōhio ki te karakia Mōata, ehara koe i Te Ringatū. I roto i ngā Akoako, i ākona ai ahau ki ngā karakia katoa, ko ngā karakia mō te whakaeke marae, te whakamoemiti, te tono, te muruhara, te tūā tamariki, te hākari me te tuku mō roto i ngā Rā. I ākona hoki ki ngā karakia whakatūwhera whare, hura kōhatū, tuku wairua, nehu tūpāpaku, māuiui katoa atu. He wā tōna kua waea mai ia ki taku mahi i te Poutāpeta ki te kīa mai ahau, kua haere māua ki te whaiwhai kēhua i taua wā tonu, ana, kua mate ahau ki te kōrero ki taku pāhi kua haere ahau, anā, me te whakamārama atu he aha taku mahi hoki. Waimarie ahau i taku pāhi Pākehā. Nāwai kua mōhio taku pāhi, kua āmine mai ki ngā īnoi a taku koroua pāpā a Mōnita. Nāna ahau i ako ki ngā mahi Māori katoa, ko te whaikōrero tērā, ko te mōteatea tērā, ko ngā hītoria ērā. Ana tekaumāwaru taku pakeke kua whakatōhunga ahau e Mōnita, kua tū hai tohunga mō taku hapū mō Ngāti Ngahere, mō taku iwi mō Te Whakatōhea. Nō reira toru tekau mā whā tau ahau e whakahau nei i te minitatanga o te maungārongo. He nui aku kaiwhakahau ki ngā whakaritenga, whakawā a te Atua ki tōku ao tohunga, ko Ema Rogers anō tērā te tuahine o Mōnita. Ko Ema te kaitiaki i tana matua i a Paora Delamere he Poutikanga nō te Hāhi Ringatū mai i tau 1938 – 1981. Ana nā Ema i whangāi ahau ki ngā kōrero mō Te Huamata me Te Pure me te māratapu. Ko Te Huamata te Rā a Te Ringatū ki te whakatō i ngā kai ki te māratapu. Ko Te Pure te Rā hauhake i ngā kai i te māratapu. Ko te māratapu ko te māra kua wehea taputia mai ki te Atua. Ae he tokomaha rātou aku pūkaikura i whakatipu i ahau hai tohunga; ko Tā Mōnita Delamere, ko Pāroa Kūrei, ko Maaka Jones, ko Te Riaki Amoamo, ko Hōhīpera Williams, ko Reti Williams, ko Te Rama Mītai, ko Wairemana Taia, ko Tama Gage, ko Danie Poihipi, ko Mātenga Biddle. Ko rātou ko ngā kaiwhakatakoto tīkanga mōku. Ko Te Ringatū kai roto i ahau, me ahau hoki kai roto i a ia. Ko te ao kapa haka, i whānau mai ahau ki te ao kapa haka. Ko tōku kuia ko Kaaterina Maxwell tētahi o ngā kaiako o te kapa haka rongonui o Te Whakatōhea, ko Ngā Pōtiki. Ko taku tuakana a Te Keepa he kaihaka mō Ngā Pōtiki, ko ōku mātua, whaea, tīpuna ērā. Tae atu ahau ki te kura tuatahi ko ōku tūākana i te haka mō te kapa haka o Ōpōtiki Kāreti i te tau 1971, 72, 73. He kapa toa tō rātou wini i a rātou te whakataetae kapa haka o ngā kura tuarua o te rohe o te South Auchland Secondary Schools mai i Te Kauwhata i te raki ki Tongariro i te tonga, ki Te Whānau-a-Apanui ki te rāwhiti. Ana mātakitaki ahau i a rātou me taku manawanui kia pērā ahau me te mahi haka. Nō taku tīmatatanga ki te kura tuatahi i uru ahau ki ngā whakataetae o te Delamere Cup, tae rawa ki taku haerenga ki te Kāreti o Ōpōtiki he kapa haka te mahi. Ā pakeke noa nei ahau kai te haka tonu ahau, i tū ahau ki Te Matatini 2019, he kaiako, he kaitito tonu ahau i roto i te ao kapa haka. Nā te mahi kapa haka kua tae ahau ki ngā tōpito katoa o te ao.   Ko te kapa haka kai roto i ahau me ahau hoki kai roto i te kapa haka. Tiwha tiwha te pō Ko te pākerewhā Ko Arikirangi tēnei rā te haere nei. Ko te mana o Te Kooti. E ai ki aku pakeke he mana atua tōna, he mana poropiti tōna, tō Te Kooti. I whānau mai ia i raro i tēnei poropititanga a Te Toi

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