Te Kāhui Maunga hand over the Mauri of Te Matatini to Tainui Waka
Te Kāhui Maunga have formally handed over the mauri of Te Matatini to Tainui waka, marking the transition from the very successful 2025 Festival held in Taranaki to the next celebration in 2027 at Hopuhopu. The mauri ceremony occurred at Ngaaruawaahia on the final day of the first Koroneihana of Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po.
The occasion signals the start of the preparation and excitement that builds in the regions as they look to select their top teams to stand as exemplars of Māori performing arts at Te Matatini 2027.
Two sacred stones embody the energy, history and spiritual essence of Te Matatini. The smaller, red stone, representing the mauri, originates from the Ruahine Ranges and was gifted to Te Matatini by Rangitāne when Palmerston North hosted the festival in 2005 and 2007. Protecting it is a larger stone of tuhua (obsidian), gifted by Tauranga Moana in 2009, which sits alongside it on a beautifully carved wooden base created by Te Whakatohea.
The mauri stones carry the connection from one host to the next, symbolising the unbroken thread that binds us together in celebrating our culture, our reo, and the creativity that grows in our arts with each generation. “Te Matatini is not simply a biennial event — it is a living legacy, carried from one festival to the next, as new and established teams alike vie for the privilege of sharing their distinct stories, compositions and performance style on the Te Matatini stage,” says Tā Herewini Parata, Chairman of Te Matatini Society Incorporated.
“It is our great honour to hand the mouri of Te Matatini to Tainui Waka at a time when te iwi Māori has just celebrated the first coronation of Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono I te po. Not only does today signify the end of our role as hosts, it also dawns a new beginning for Tainui waka, where the responsibility and honour of hosting Te Matatini moves seamlessly into their hands. Hosting Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga this year was the utmost privilege, and now we look forward to supporting Tainui waka,” says Elijah Pue, Chairman of Te Kāhui Maunga Society.
“We are excited to be receiving the mauri to begin our journey with Te Matatini. We will have it on display during the concert for the Koroneihana, then we will take it to Hopuhopu to be placed alongside the Office of the Kiingitanga. The mauri stone connects the festival to the land and our ancestors, and its presence will be felt and will guide us in preparing for Te Matatini 2027,” says Haani Huata, Te Pou Arahi o Te Whare Haka o Tainui.
Te Matatini is Aotearoa’s premier celebration of kapa haka, bringing together thousands of performers, their whānau, and audiences from across Aotearoa and the world. Held every two years, the festival showcases the very best of Māori performing arts, language, and culture.
Media contact: Lyn Harrison 027 245 2477