Te Arawa kapa haka: Ruling on protest | Rotorua News | Local News in Rotorua

Ngati Rangiwewehi kapa haka group has failed to overturn the results of the Te Arawa Regional Kapa Haka Competition.

After missing out on the top six and entry into the national competition, Te Matatini 2013, Ngati Rangiwewehi made an official protest which was considered by a disputes committee. Te Arawa Regional Kapa Haka Competition deputy chairman Trevor Maxwell confirmed Ngati Rangiwewehi concerns weren't upheld.

It was agreed the group's concerns would remain confidential, he said.

As former leader of Ngati Rangiwewehi and winner of two national titles, he said he was disappointed for the group.

"But somebody has to win and someone has to lose. This goes to show how highly competitive the competition was."

Ngati Rangiwewehi leader and tutor Dan Vaka said the group was fully supportive of the six groups that qualified and he was proud of those which were representing Te Arawa.

"We have received the decision but we don't accept it on the basis that one of the [three] people involved in the decision-making was part of our initial grievance dispute and therefore we see that as a conflict of interest. It goes against their rules."

The regional kapa haka championship at the weekend had a record 22 teams competing. The six teams to make the national competition were Tuhourangi-Ngati Wahiao, Te Mataarae i Orehu, Nga Uri o Te Whanoa, Kataore, Manaia and Nga Potiki a Hinehopu.

Mr Maxwell said the teams were largely responsible for selecting the 18 judges. Each nominated two judges and a committee of team representatives went through a selection process.

"The judges are picked by the teams themselves so they take ownership of the selection."

Each judge was responsible for a non-aggregate and aggregate category. The aggregate section was made up of whakaeke (entry), waiata moteatea (traditional chant), waiata-a-ringa (action song), poi, haka and whakamutunga (exit).

The team that scored the highest in this section was the overall winner.

Most judges were from Te Arawa and the non-Te Arawa judge, Pouroto Ngaropo, has strong tribal connections to Te Arawa. Mr Maxwell said most judges were ex-performers and each judged a discipline in which they were expert.

One judge, Mauriora Kingi, who has 30 years' experience judging at national level, said judges had wananga (conferences) and met before a competition to discuss what they were looking for.

They had to judge what they saw on the day, not what they wanted to see. Mr Kingi said the Te Arawa competition was of a very high standard.