A huge group of school kids at Te Matatini shook Eden Park with a LOUD, powerful haka during the festival over the weekend.
The clip, posted by @Maoriworldwide on Instagram, shows students of Ngā Puna o Waiōrea all standing in their seats and giving all that they got into the haka tautoko to support their friends and tutors who just performed.
Commenters on the post are all in awe at the display of support.
“I think what I love so much about the Haka is that it’s so unifying,” one comment reads. “It doesn’t matter what shade you are, when it’s time… haka baby. Love it, so incredibly powerful and moving.”
“Mana on 100 🔥,” another says.
“Sitting here on the opposite side of the world with tears in my eyes,” a third commenter added. “I don’t know why Haka always makes me very emotional even though I don’t understand any word.”
“So powerful, glad to see I'm not the only one who can't watch a haka without a full emotional soul response,” one more fan wrote. “Powerful, so so powerful. Respect brothers and sisters.”
Te Matatini was an absolute hit and these kids just added to the magic of it all.
On and off the stage, so many awesome moments came over the festival’s four days.
Te Kapa Haka o Te Whānau-a-Apanui were crowned 2023 champions on Saturday, and they went viral for their waita-ā-ringa - a rendition of a song from all the way back in 1961, ‘Runaround Sue.
A few younger festival goers went viral for whipping out the wiri to direct other fans to their seats, and men from Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei - a Tāmaki Makaurau iwi - went viral for hosting the festival's pōwhiri in some fresh as suits.
