Twenty-six rōpū participated and performed in front of friends, whānau, support teams and the public over the two-day Te Anga Pāua o Aotearoa National Kapa Haka Festival held at Takina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre.
“I was lucky enough to watch some of the performances at Te Anga Pāua o Aotearoa National Kapa Haka Festival and was blown away by the passion and dedication of the performers on stage,” says Carl Ross, Te Manatautū | Chief Executive.
Te Anga Pāua o Aotearoa (TAPOA) is the National Māori Advisory Group for IDEA Services who supports people with intellectual disabilities to enjoy great lives as part of their communities. TAPOA has run kapa haka festivals for people with intellectual disabilities since 2017, and this year IHC celebrates turning 75 years.
“Before the Festival, we welcomed IDEA Services northern regional manager Vonny Davis (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa), and chair of TAPOA, and Taki Peeke (Ngāti Pāoa and Te Māhurehure), FERNZ Kaiarataki Māori, to our office to hear how kapa haka is positively impacting the wellbeing of the disabled community including their whānau,” says Carl.
“The value of kapa haka is comparatively not well understood or documented,” says Vonny. “While a small number of studies in the last two decades have explored kapa haka and its cultural and artistic significance, no known studies have been conducted with adults with an intellectual disability.”
A study was commissioned by IDEA Services and completed in partnership with Dr Melissa Derby (Ngāti Ranginui), a Senior Lecturer teaching early literacy and human development at the University of Waikato.
“The study will investigate the influence of kapa haka on adults with an intellectual disability in social, physical and cultural terms focusing primarily on the voices of adults with an intellectual disability and supported by the insights and reflections of kapa haka tutors and whānau (families),” says Vonny.
Kapa haka performers nationwide who are supported by IDEA Services and who belong to IDEA Services kapa haka groups, completed a survey that aimed to shed light on their experiences with kapa haka.
To gain a more in-depth understanding of how adults with an intellectual disability experience kapa haka, a case study was conducted in Tauranga. This involved semi-structured interviews with kapa haka tutors, family members of the performers, and the performers themselves.
The report has three parts:
The Emergence of Kapa Haka at IDEA Services
Literature Review: Exploring the Benefits of Kapa Haka in the General Population
Thematic analysis of the surveys of performers and the case study
IDEA Services plans to present and publish the report early in 2025.
“Participation in kapa haka promotes physical and mental well-being,” says Taki. “The physical activity involved in kapa haka practice and performance improves motor skills, such as coordination, balance, and dexterity, while the social connections and cultural pride enhance mental health and emotional resilience.”
Kapa haka strengthens whānau connections and unites communities so practicing and performing together fosters unity, mutual support and a strong sense of belonging, and it contributes to the national identity and unity of Aotearoa, fostering a great sense of national pride and cohesion among all New Zealanders.
Top photo: Carl Ross, Vonny Davis (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa) and chair of TAPOA, and Taki Peeke (Ngāti Pāoa and Te Māhurehure), FERNZ Kaiarataki Māori.
Middle photo Waata Houia, Governor-General Her Excellency The Rt Hon Dame Cindy Kiro, Tia Rapana, and Carl Ross.
Bottom photo: Te Matatini kaimahi attending the festival from left to right – Terina, Fi, IDEA Services Hannah Neville, Te Aumihi, Teatapo, Mo, Aqua.
Dr Melissa Derby is an Honorary Lecturer in the School of Education at the University of Waikato. She is the co-Director of the Early Years Research Centre, hosted by the Wilf Malcolm Institute of Educational Research at the University of Waikato. Melissa completed her PhD in Education at the University of Canterbury, and her project was a part of A Better Start National Science Challenge. Her primary area of research is in early literacy, in particular exploring the role of whānau in fostering foundational literacy skills. Dr Derby has recently been appointed Race Relations Commissioner of the Free Speech Union, of which she is a founding member.