History of Te Tau Ihu o te Waka a Maui Maori Cultural Council

Te Upoko o Te Waka Maori Cultural Council started from a need to establish a Kapa Haka entity in the late 1960s to promote the development of Kapa Haka in the ‘Top of the South’ of Te Waipounamu. Te Waipounamu Maori Cultural Council was already established for the development of Kapa Haka in Te Waipounamu which included three Rohe. This Council was made up of delegates from all of the teams who affiliated to the Culture Council, which set the rules and guidelines for Kapa Haka Competitions in the region.

The regional boundaries are in the west as far south as Haast to the Conway (South of Kaikoura) in the east. In 1972 a national body, the ‘Polynesian Festival’ was also established. This forum allowed senior groups, representing each Rohe, to compete at a national level. Each region held regional competitions to select a winner. The winner was then required to participate in Te Waipounamu competitions followed by the National competitions. This changed in later years, to winning only their regional competitions due to cost and a constitutional change in the legal entities.

In the early years groups that made up Council were Waikawa Cultural Party, Ngawhatu, Te Rangatahi o Wairau, Motueka, Kia Ngawari, to be followed on by Te Wai Tawhiri, Te Atawhai, Omaka-Honomai, Poharoa, Te Kupenga, Te Rangatahi, Nga Ngaru o Kaikai a Waro in the senior section. Today the senior groups are Te Whatukura, Te Ata Kahika, Te Rerenga o te Ra. The groups in the intermediate section were Te Rangatahi o Wairau, Te Whatukura
The groups in the junior section were Pakarana, Te Whatukura, Te Pitau Whakarei.

In 1997 the Constitution of the Council was revamped and a name change occurred to, Te Tau Ihu o Te Waka a Maui Maori Cultural Council. This name originated from the Runanganui o Te Tau Ihu o Te Waka a Maui (9 Iwi in the Rohe) in 1989. The ‘Polynesian Festival’ changed to ‘Aotearoa Traditional Maori Performing Arts Society’ in 1996 then received a new name ‘Te Matatini’, in 2003. The Culture Council is affiliated to Te Matatini which allows winners in the Senior section to perform on the National stage. Since the revamping of Te Matatini in 2003 Te Whatukura have had the honour to perform on behalf of the region.

The Culture Council receives regional funding to promote and run hui and wananga to develop the art form of Kapa Haka in the region. This has seen a definite increase in participation.