Kapa Haka

Kapa Haka has always played an important teaching role in the 30+ year history of Te Whānau o Tupuranga.    It has offered students a unique learning opportunity and raised the whānau profile and reputation within the wider Māori community. However, Kapa Haka within Te Whānau o Tupuranga plays a far more important role in terms of the impact that it has on students, their learning and their whānau.   We believe Kapa Haka is an important curriculum in itself. All students in Te Whānau o Tupuranga participate in Kapa Haka as a compulsory aspect of our special curriculum.

The whānau has always achieved a high standard of performance within this art form, whether in Kapa Haka in general school activities, or as a specialist Kapa Haka at competitive level.  Teachers have maintained that it is ‘the journey’ students embark on, in preparation for a performance, the skills they develop, and whanaungatanga and leadership opportunities, which have the greatest impact.

Kapa Haka improves students’ general attitude towards school.  It encourages parent participation, which flows on to other aspects of school life.  Kapa Haka modifies behaviour, gives our students a sense of pride and history to build their own achievements on, while offering opportunities for collaborative and group learning.  Kapa Haka is a unique medium for learning and developing relationships, between students, between kaiako and students, between whānau and kaiako, and for authentic interaction and learning in our marae setting.

Te Whare Karioi o Kia Aroha, our Kapa Haka Academy is an extension of this kaupapa, enabling students to achieve excellence in Kapa Haka, Te Ao Haka and Māori Performing Arts as a curriculum area, competition experience: Division 1 Polyfest stage annually and competing at both Primary and Secondary School Kapa Haka Nationals, tutoring exposure, and understanding the process of running/hosting events.

Te Whānau o Tupuranga appreciates the ongoing involvement of former students who willingly give of their time to return, to compose and to tutor items, and to act as role models for our students in Kapa Haka performance.