The West Coast Kapa Haka Festival

We arrive at the venue, the NBS Theatre in Westport. Schools from all over the West Coast had assembled in order to compete in the West Coast Kapa Haka Festival that day. It was difficult to predict the level of competition we could expect from our opponents so I decided it was best to clear my head and focus on what I had to do later that day.

Our time had arrived. We waited to walk on to the stage, I had a mixture of emotions coursing through me, but most of all I felt proud. I felt proud to be Māori and grateful I had the opportunity to stand with an exceptional team.

I stood anxiously waiting to perform our first item. I hear the crowd erupt into a loud applause. Suddenly I begin to feel calm and controlled. I start to sing and everything feels so natural and normal as if we are in the whare at Westland High School practicing.

The time had arrived to deliver the whaikōrero. I became nervous as I did not know what the crowd’s response would be. This was my first time speaking in front of a large audience. Once I had finished I felt relieved, like the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders.

We complete our performance and everyone is ecstatic. At that exact moment I could not have felt any better.

Prizegiving we waited and we watched other groups from the junior and intermediate sections of the competition receiving their awards. The audience cheers and celebrates. Finally the senior or secondary schools section is announced. Westland High School’s name is called. The room goes wild as we end up winning all six disciplines including the aggregate overall winner of the senior section.

For me, this is not just about twenty minutes on stage. It’s about the learning, discipline required, tikanga, reo, being together or kotahitanga, setting goals and striving hard to perform at the highest level possible.

I feel proud and that helps my confidence. I think wow, maybe I can do it or I don’t need to be so nervous. These are the things that make me think it’s really cool to be Māori.

Nā Tamati Frost