MEDIA RELEASE
FRIDAY 24th FEBRUARY, 2023
Te Matatini Herenga Waka Herenga Tangata 2023 finalists announced
The 12 finalists for Te Matatini Herenga Waka Herenga Tangata 2023 Festival have been announced.
Forty-five kapa from across Aotearoa and Australia gave it their all over the past three days at Ngā Ana Wai Eden Park in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland from 22 to 24 February.
Te Matatini chairman Selwyn Parata announced the performance line-up of the finalists for Saturday, 25th February. They are:
Te Hekenga ā Rangi - Te Arawa
Te Pou o Mangataawhiri – Tainui
Whangara Mai Tawhiti – Te Tairāwhiti
Ngā Tumanako – Tāmaki Makaurau
Te Iti Kahurangi – Tainui
Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai – Te Arawa
Te Kapa Haka o Te Whānau a Apanui - Mātaatua
Ngāti Rangiwewehi - Te Arawa
ANGITU – Tāmaki Makaurau
Waihīrere – Te Tairāwhiti
Te Mātārae I Ōrehu – Te Arawa
Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue - Te Arawa
Mr Parata acknowledges the outstanding effort from all of the teams that competed over the last three days and is looking forward to seeing what the finals will bring on Saturday.
“We have seen the crème de la crème of kapa haka over the past few days. Each team has shown us who they are and why they are here. Our kapa have treated us to entertainment, spine-tingling performances and food for thought around many kaupapa. However, tomorrow our finalists will be turning up the heat and showing us why they are the best of the best. We will see what tomorrow brings. I wish our finalists the best of luck and will leave it in the judges hands to make the tough decisions,” he says.
Tickets for Saturday are available from the Ticketmaster Box Offices, located at GATE A and GATE E, at Eden Park. Only EFTPOS is available.
Finals kick off at 8:15am. Gates open at 7am.