Rt Hon Duncan Maclntyre was the Minister of Māori Affairs during the first festival in 1972. At that time, there was a resurgence and revival of Māori language traditions, especially among rangatahi. The taonga was donated to promote the pursuit of excellence by rangatahi in Te Reo Māori and its traditions.

This taonga is modelled on Te Whānau o Waipareira Trust’s logo, designed by Mei Collins. The design is based on the trust’s motto – “Kōkiri i roto i te kotahitanga” – “progressively act in unity” – a motto created by several kaumātua. The taonga and its design reflects the unrelenting power and force of the tides; the three baskets of knowledge, productivity and a new lease of life. It was first presented at the 1994 festival in Hāwera.

Carved by Moni Taumaunu (Ngāti Porou) and Bill Mau (Ngāpuhi), This taonga was made from an eight foot strainer post found on the slopes of Mangatu. Its base is made out of a piece of timber from Hato Paora College near Feilding. There are two hands holding the sides of the receptacle representing Tāne fashioning Hine Ahuone from Papatūanuku (Mother Earth).

This taonga was donated in 1972 by Ngāti Poneke who were at the forefront of Māori Performing Arts especially in this category. The group had won the Wellington and Ikaroa district competitions and performed at festivals in Tauranga, Ngāruawahia and the Hui Aranga. Ngāti Poneke has the distinction of being the taonga’s first winner.

When the 1972 Polynesian Festival Competition was first mooted, it was acknowledged by the National Committee, that Taranaki were the exponents of the poi in its traditional forms – poi harakeke, poi raupō and poi atua etc. These and other forms of poi were performed at tangi. It was further noted that Tohu Kakahi, the Parihaka chief, adopted the poi as his symbol of peace and goodwill. This was done at the same time that Te Whiti o Rongomai adopted the white feather. Te Kāhui Maunga was given the opportunity to donate a taonga in 1972, by the Te Kāhui Maunga council on behalf of the Te Kāhui Maunga district.

This taonga was presented to the then Polynesian National Committee on behalf of the Waitaha Cultural Council. When it was designed in the form of Mt Aoraki there were two main themes in Timua Croft’s mind – ‘Te Reo o Aoraki’ and ‘te ngākau aroha’. Both these elements have significance for Ngāi Tahu. At the time, Ngāi Tahu dialect and reo among its own members was not regarded as strong and vibrant, compared to other tribal groups. Te reo o Aoraki in the form of the tupuna maunga, Aoraki, was seen as the pinnacle to which Ngāi Tahu should aspire. ‘Te ngākau aroha’ on the other hand, represents Ngāi Tahu maintaining and retaining their Māori heart and values of aroha and manaakitanga. The saying “te ngākau aroha” was devised by Te Aritaua Pitama and was adopted as the motto for the then active Kapa Haka, Te Whetū Ariki o Kahukura.

This taonga was presented in recognition of Canon Wi and Abel Huata’s great contribution to composing, tutoring and writing music, and their leadership of numerous Kapa Haka. It recognises their environment with He Toa Takitini – a Kapa Haka which performed at the festival in 1972 – and from which many people went on to form, or lead others.

This taonga represents Mobil Oil’s commitment to supporting and fostering the arts in general and Māori art and language in particular. Mobil seeks to recognise those involved in ensuring a new generation of Māori achieve fluency in te reo and regards the resurgence of interest in te reo.

Presented in Rotorua in 1996, the original taonga included white glass pieces with kōwhaiwhai which represented the opera ‘Ka Awatea’ performed by the donor group. The red glass background represents the throat from which the greenstone originated, and the essence symbolises the quality sound that comes from trained voices. The music symbol on the greenstone is the official logo of the National Māori Choir.

This taonga was presented by Dr. Gregory as a gift from the heart and was intended for Māori who devote enormous time to Kapa Haka. The taonga is his contribution to the traditional Māori performing arts and the pursuit of excellence.

In 2011 a new korowai for Manukura Wahine was presented at Te Matatini o te Rā – Tairāwhiti festival. Made by Teresa Murray at Te Puia, Rotorua, and kindly sponsored by Te Waka Toi, the korowai is a poutama pattern constructed from muka and pūkeko feathers.

The koru is a symbol of new life and new beginnings. The young fern enjoys the protection of the stronger, mature fern until it is eventually able to stand alone. Atareta gave her life in support of others. This pounamu pictures her hand, stretched out in a gesture of love and assistance to those many people she shared her wealth of knowledge with over the years. The little koru snuggled safely in the palm of the hand represents the ones she has nurtured and helped grow into fine performers and capable adults.

The original taonga for Kākahu was presented at the 1996 Rotorua Festival in honour of the late Wairākau Waipara QSM who excelled in designing costumes, kete, kākahu, piupiu and whāriki. The Waipara whānau replaced the taonga for presentation at the 2017 Te Kahu o Te Amorangi Te Matatini National Kapa Haka Festival, with this manaia based on the Rongowhakaata form.

This taonga was donated by Tā Hekenukumai Busby in memory of his late wife Ngahiraka (Hilda) Busby. Hilda was an influential figure in Northland, recognised widely for her community involvement, language and cultural renaissance efforts. For several years, she served on the National Committee of the New Zealand Polynesian Festival as the Māori Womens' Welfare League representative.

This taonga was donated by the whānau of Anaru "Skip" Paenga of Ngāti Porou and Ngāti Konohi. Anaru was a former performer, composer and kaiwhiriwhiri at Te Matatini for many years and contributed to the success of many kapa in New Zealand and Australia.

This taonga was donated by Te Whenua Moemoeā, an Australian-based region of Te Matatini. The taonga acknowledges the role Te Matatini plays in encouraging the large populous of Māori domiciled in Australia to hold-fast to te reo me ōna tikanga. Kapa from Australia first competed at the New Zealand Polynesian Festival 1983 at the invitation of the then chair, Tā Kīngi Īhaka.

Sponsored by: The New Zealand Māori Arts & Crafts Institute (NZMACI) / Te Puia Ltd Donated in honour of the late Mauriora Kingi, MNZM, JP, senior spokesman in Te Arawa. This taonga was presented in recognition of his immense contribution to cultural revitalisation within Te Arawa and longest serving judge in Te Matatini and Secondary Schools kapa haka festivals in his lifetime. NZMACI 2017 Graduate Carver Tukiri Tini of Te Arawa, Tainui and Ngāi Tahu, named the toki poutangata ‘Te Rangitūhāhā’ in salutation to one of the finest orators in the history of Te Arawa, it was also Mauriora’s birth name.

Among all his other achievements, Sir Kingi Ihaka was the inaugural chairperson of the New Zealand Polynesian, and the then Aotearoa Traditional Māori Performing Arts Festival National Committee. It was a position he held from 1972 – 1993, except for a period of two years when he resided in Sydney, Australia. Tā Kingi was a composer, writer of music, tutor and leader of such Kapa Haka as the Wairarapa Anglican, Putiki Wharanui, (Whanganui), Wellington Anglican and Auckland Anglican groups. He was also the second Māori Language Commissioner.

Te Tai-pūkarukaru o Poutini – The gentle rippling waves of the Poutini Coast. The tides of Poutini take many forms – from wild, crashing westerly blown surf to the ocean nutrient rich currents sustaining a fertile fishery. But there is one tide that, on the calmest of days, simply laps the shores. These are the seas that create a soothing atmosphere. The sounds are pleasant to the ear and they remind one of home places, of lost friends and lovers, and of the natural beauty that is the Poutini Coast. A beautiful composition should evoke a full range of emotions. The flow of words should be gentle and not harsh. The language should be able to paint pictures and connect with the listening soul of the audience. Just as the tides do, it should remind one of home, friends and lovers. Personal experiences and complex emotions should be roused by a great composition within every individual who hears the poetry. The hapū of Poutini are honoured to celebrate these written compositions and the stories they tell. The taonga, presented by Poutini Kāi Tahu in 2017 was named by Tahu Pōtiki and designed and carved by Poutini artisans, Fayne Robinson and Turi Gibb using the finest pounamu to bring to life the Poutini tides. We hope that the taoka itself and any visit to the pounamu rich coastlines of Poutini will bring with it its own personal journey of the soul and the spirit.