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Te Onetū – Te Matatini Special Edition


Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga
E rere tonu ana te aroha nui me te ngākau whakaute ki tō tātou Kuini, Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po, i tōna Matatini tuatahi hei Ariki mō te motu. I pāoro tōna ingoa me ōna toronga ki ngā kokonga katoa o Pukekura, inara, i tōwaitia e ngā Kapa o te motu te aroha ki a ia, ki tōna whānau me te Kāhui Ariki nui tonu.
Tū tonu mai rā, e Te Arikinui, ki te taumata o ō mātua tīpuna, hei tirohanga mō te ao katoa. Kia ruia tonutia koe ki ngā mihi o tō iwi Māori, kia rangona hoki e koe ngā hua pai katoa o te rā, o te marama, o te tau, ā, haere ake nei.
Ka rewa te pōtae, ka rewa hoki te ngākau.
“Tērā te wā ka whānau mai he tamaiti o te kupu whakaari, māna tātou e ārahi.”
Koinei ngā kupu o ngā poropiti o te whakapono, ka mutu, ko te reanga Kōhanga Reo tēnei e tū nei, e whanake nei, e whakatinana nei i ngā kupu i poropititia. Koinei tētahi o ngā raukura ka titia mō āke tonu atu, ka mutu, he raukura kua herea ki ngā mahara mō Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga 2025.
Nā te Poipōwhiri te iwi Māori whānui i whakatau ki runga o Ngāmotu, ā, he tuitui hoki i ngā mate o te wā te mahi, i raro tonu i te maru o Koro Taranaki. Ko nanny Piki Waretini, ko nanny Huia Rewiti Henere ētahi o ngā mate o Aotea, otirā, tuia ki a rāua ko Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero Te Tuawhitu, ko Whaea Tītoki Black, ko Te Wheoro Rangikotua , ko Kahurangi Tariana Turia me Kahurangi Iritana Tawhiwhirangi. I kawea hoki ngā mate o ngā Kapa Haka o te motu, kia tangihia tahitia rātou, kia rangona hoki tō rātou mauri i Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga.
Me uaua ka noho tapu te iwi Māori ki ōna anō whakaaro, ōna anō tikanga me te rangona i te kōrerotia o te reo Māori i ngā wā taumaha, heoi anō, ahakoa ngā whakawhiu a te Kāwatanga e whiu tonu nei, kāore i whai wāhi te wairua kino me ngā whakawhiu a te Kāwanatanga ki roto i ngā whakahaeretanga o Te Matatini. Nā tēnei i eke ai te kotahitanga o te iwi, ka mutu, i whakatauiratia te kotahitanga e te iwi Māori mai i te tīmatatanga o te wiki, i te pōhiri rā anō i te taiwhanga nui o Maratahu Huakai (Yarrow Stadium), tae noa atu ki te Mātangirua o Te Matatini.
Kei tōku iwi Māori i eke ai te wawata nui o Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero Te Tuawhitu, nei rā ka mihi. Te Kāhui Maunga, Te Kāhui Tipua, Te Kāhui Wairua, ngā tauira o te rongomau me te rongomaiwhiti, tēnā koutou.
May our love and devotion flow to our esteemed queen, Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po, as she presides over her first Te Matatini as the Māori queen. Her name and ancestral links were echoed throughout Pukekura, as each group from around the country recommitted themselves to her whānau and to the Kāhui Ariki nui tonu.
Remain steadfast, Te Arikinui, to the scared mantle of your ancestors, for all the world to see, so that the accolades be bestowed on you. May you be celebrated by your people, and may you be blessed in the days, months and years that follow.
It has been prophesied that a new generation, born of the aspirations of our people, will rise and lead us forward. Today, we welcome the Kōhanga Reo generation – grown strong and flourishing. Like a feather pinned in time, their presence will forever be woven into the memories of Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga 2025.
Te iwi Māori was greeted by poi upon arriving in New Plymouth, to also weave those who have passed on, under the mantle of Taranaki Maunga. We are reminded of nanny Piki Waretini, nanny Huia Rewiti Henere stalwarts of Aotea, we also remember Kiingi Tuheitia Pōotatau Te Wherowhero Te Tuawhitu, Whaea Titoki Black, Te Wheoro Rangikotua, Dame Tariana Turia and Dame Iritana Tawhiwhirangi. The deceased of the various Kapa Haka were also mourned and welcomed to ensure their presence was acknowledged at Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga.
These occasions are rare, where Māori people gather unencumbered to think their own thoughts, unhindered to express their protocols and speaking the language freely. Despite the rhetoric that is and continues to be espoused by the government, that narrative takes a a backseat to the proceedings of Te Matatini. Here, unity prevails – seen from the welcome at Maratahu Huakai through to the final day of Te Matatini..
This gathering is the embodiment of Kiingi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero Te Tuawhitu’s vision – a vision we are grateful for. Te Kāhui Maunga, Te Matatini ki Te Kāhui Tipua, Te Kāhui Wairua – guardians of peace and harmony, we salute you.

Taku Whare Kōhanga Reo
‘Paroro te kiri, wewera ko te whānau!’
Taku Whare Kōhanga Reo!
Ko Te Mokotini e piri nei ki a Te Matatini, tahia ake rā. He whare haumaru, he whare whakatā, he whare kōkōhau, he whare kai, he whare whakahirahira i te mokopuna, he whare tīni kope, he whare kāwatawata, he whare tīraha, he whare i muia e te tini mata, i Matatini ai te nohotahi.
Ko te waiora me te aihiparaka te oranga nui mō te paroro me te wewera a te whānau. Ko ngā tou a ngā mātua e tau nei, e ngāokeoke ai te noho whakahirahira a ngā mokopuna, ka ora ko te whare kōhanga reo ki Te Matatini.
Te piringa ngākau mai a te hunga tangata, mōrehu mai, kaumātua mai, pakeke mai, mātua mai, rangatahi mai, taiohi mai, kaihaka mai, pākihi mai, whānau mai, ka ora te whare kōhanga reo i tōna rite manaaki i te tini me te rahi.
'Taurimatia ō inanahi
Wawatatia ō āpōpō
Whakapūmautia ō te wā nei
Cherish yesterday, dream tomorrow, live today!
Tuku mana, tuku ora, tuku iho!

Ngā kapa haka o Te Matatini ki Te Kāhui Maunga
Kua oti ngā mahi o Te Matatini ki Te Kāhui Maunga, engari e korikori tonu ana ngā piropiro, e hihiko tonu ana te wairua.
I mangu pai te whatārangi i ngā Kapa toa o Aotearoa me Ahitereira i tū ki Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga, ka mutu, he tokomaha ngā Manu Pīrere i tū, i haka, i eke hoki i roto i ngā mahi i oti i te wiki kua hori.
Neke atu i te rua mano ngā tāngata i eke ki te whatārangi, i raro tonu i te maru o te mahau o Te Matatini, ā, neke atu i te 60% o ngā kaihaka he Manu Pīrere nō Te Kōhanga Reo.
Mai i ngā kaitātaki o ngā Kapa, ki ngā kaihaka, ki ngā kaituitui kākahu, ngā ringawera me ngā ringa hāpai o te kaupapa, i muia a Pukekura e ngā Manu Pīrere o Te Kōhanga Reo, hei tirohanga mō te ao.
I whakatutūngia te puehu e ngā kaupapa whakapātaritari, i heke ngā roimata i te kawenga atu o ngā mate o te motu, ka mutu, i hākari ngā taringa i te maha o ngā waiata, ngā haka me ngā mōteatea.
Hei tā Te Ngawari Wright, Manu Pīrere, kaitātaki wahine hoki o Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue; “Kei te ohorere tonu i tēnei maringa nui, ka mutu, i tino eke ngā Kapa Haka katoa i tēnei wiki. Kāore e oti ngā mihi ki te hunga i whakatipu i ahau, e tū kaha ai au i roto i ngā mahi kei mua i te aroaro.”
Hei tā Ruka Broughton, Rangatira nō te iwi kainga, tauira o te rongomau, kaihohou i te rongomaiwhiti; “Kāore he kaupapa i tua atu i Te Kōhanga Reo hei poipoi, hei whakawhanake i a tātou te iwi Māori. Me timata te morimoritia a te iwi ki te reanga o ngā pēpi, ngā nohinohi me ngā tamariki, kei reira te oranga mō tātou. E tino whakapono ake ana ahau ki te kaupapa o Te Kōhanga Reo, hei tuāpapa mō te kotahitanga e kaha kōrerotia ana e tātou.”
A week has passed since the motu gathered in Ngāmotu for the biennial Te Matatini festival, yet the excitement and pride remain strong in the hearts and minds of all who attended.
More than two thousand kaihaka took to the Te Matatini stage, each performing with passion and excellence in pursuit of the prestigious title. Among them, over 60% were Manu Pīrere – graduates of Kōhanga Reo – demonstrating the lasting impact of our kaupapa.
From kaitātaki to kaihaka, from weavers and designers of stunning kākahu Māori to cooks, cleaners, and crew, Manu Pīrere were at the heart of Pukekura, stepping up in every way to support the festival and ensure its success.
Te Ngāwari Wright, leader of this year’s winning team, Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue, is still in awe of the results, acknowledging the incredible talent of every rōpū that graced the stage. She credits her Kōhanga Reo upbringing for shaping her into the kaihaka she is today, carrying with her the love, support, and nurture she received, and striving to emulate those values in her everyday life.
Well-respected rangatira of the hosting iwi, Ruka Broughton, speaks highly of the role Kōhanga Reo plays in nurturing future leaders. He affirms that Te Kōhanga Reo is the foundation of kotahitanga for te iwi Māori, where our tamariki first learn the essential life skills that will carry them into the future.
Whare Hokohoko

Ngarama Haerewa is a Manu Pīrere of Kōhanga Reo and is head of Procurement for the National Trust Head Office. His passion lies in ensuring that our whānau have access to quality resources while continuing to develop and expand Kōhanga Reo merchandise.
Reflecting on this year’s Te Matatini, Ngarama shared his thoughts:
“Seeing the reaction on whānau faces when they held our unique pounamu tohu and heru in their hands – rather than just seeing them online – was truly heartwarming. One whānau member was so moved, they bought six of the large pounamu tohu! Te Matatini itself ordered 300 of our aluminium drink bottles, and of course, Carl Ross, CE of Te Matatini, proudly wore our pounamu tohu.”
“It was a privilege to be there, to connect directly with our whānau, and to hear just how passionate they are about the kaupapa of Kōhanga Reo. While we had our Toa Hokohoko merchandise stand, we also made sure there were plenty of free resources for our mokopuna and whānau, as well as giveaways so they could come and support their teams on stage.”
“Our space wasn’t just about merch and gear – it was a place where whānau could take a breath, relax, and let their tamariki enjoy the activities and play in a welcoming environment.”

In terms of best kapa roopu…
I’m biased on who I tautoko because of having whānau in Te Poho o Hinekahukura and Te Taumata o Apanui. I absolutely enjoyed Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai and Ngati Whakaue, especially their waiata-ā-ringa (He Kōnui, He Kōroa)
At the end of the day, Te Ao Māori was the winner, as always!

Kōhanga Reo Generation
Kōhanga generation is a catch phrase that has been used widely by many to describe the new emerging generation of leaders, politicians, and those who are taking up active role business, Iwi and Hapu affairs.
We catch up with Tākuta Ferris Māori MP for Te Tai Tonga who was enlisted as a MC amongst other Manu Pīrere, Kōhanga Reo Graduates, to come and support the biggest gathering of māori in the world.
Te Matatini wrap up…