MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release
20 September 2024
Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga Festival 2025 Judges Selected
Fifty judges have been selected to judge the best kapa haka at Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Festival
2025 as teams compete for the title of national champion.
“The process of selecting judges is careful and thorough, with 13 regions nominating candidates who are highly qualified, impartial, experienced in performing and in the intricacies of the respective kapa haka disciplines,” Te Matatini executive Maui Tangohau said.
Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga Festival 2025 will have 55 teams competing on stage, the most
we have ever had. Judges will assess the performance of teams from the four pools:
● Te Ihu
● Te Haumi
● Te Kei
● Te Awa
Judges scores and comments will be entered into an automated system, which will identify the
three teams from each pool with the highest marks to go through to the finals. Judging then
starts over again to find Te Toa Whakaihuwaka - the best kapa haka overall in seven
compulsory disciplines: whakaeke (entrance), mōteatea (traditional chant), waiata ā-ringa
(action song), poi (song with poi), haka, whakawātea (exit) and te kairangi o te reo (excellence
in Māori language).
Trophies are also awarded to the winners of each discipline, and for the best choral, male and
female leader, costume, and original compositions.
The judges names and list of teams in each pool are available on the Te Matatini website.
Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga Festival 2025 will be held at Pukekura / The Bowl of
Brooklands, New Plymouth, 25 February to 1 March 2025.
Nō reira, nau mai e te mātinitini ki Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga! He Kāhui Tupua, he Kāhui
Wairua!
[END]
Media contact: media@tematatini.co.n
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