Kua tū te haka a Tāne Rore me ngā mahi a Hine Rēhia!

Secure long-term funding of $48.7 million from 2025 will ensure the future of Te Matatini prospers with the support of the Government, Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka says.

I tēnei tahua pūtea kua whakangaoa e te Kāwanatanga e $48.7 miriona tāra ki Te Matatini mō ngā tau e tū mai nei, ā, haere ake nei nā te tautoko a te Kāwanatanga, hei tā te Minita Whakawhanaketanga Māori a Tama Potaka.

“The significance of kapa haka to Te Ao Māori is something we value deeply, especially since the rise of the waiata-ā-ringa form with Tā Apirana Ngata. The contribution Te Matatini makes to our culture in Aotearoa, New Zealand, is without a doubt an important aspect of that. It also contributes positively to intergenerational learning among whānau.

“Ko te whakahirahiratanga o ngā mahi kapa haka ki te iwi Māori he mea nui ki a mātou o te Kāwanatanga. Ina koa mai i te wā o te kaihāpai a Tā Apirana Ngata me te aranga ake o te waiata-ā-ringa. Kāore e kore he nui ngā hua ahurea mō Aotearoa whānui ka puta mai i ngā mahi rangatira a Te Matatini. Ehara mō ēnei rā noa iho, engari, ka ora hoki tēnei taonga tuku iho mō ngā reanga haere ake nei.

“The last government left New Zealanders with several unfunded programmes, and Te Matatini was unfortunately one of them with no funding after 2024/25. We’ve changed that,” Mr Potaka says.

“Me kore ake mātou o te Kāwanatanga hou i toha atu i ēnei pūtea ki Te Matatini, kua mutu kē tā rātau pūtea a tērā tau i te korenga o te Kāwanatanga o mua ki te whakaroa i te tahua pūtea pēnei me ētahi atu kaupapa. Heoi anō kua whakatikatikangia e mātou ēnei take,” hei tā Tama Potaka.

The new funding of $48.7 million is over three years, beginning in 2025/26.

Ka toru tau te whakarewanga o te pūtea hou, e $48.7m tōna rahi.

The funding is now set up to enable Te Matatini to embed a regional kapa haka model, which allows communities to decide how best to bring kapa haka to life in their regions. It will also support Te Matatini to run the tremendously successful biennial national festival.

Ināianei e āhei ana a Te Matatini me ēnei pūtea hou ki te tautoko i tēnā rohe, i tēnā rohe ki te whiwhiri me pēhea rātou e whakatairanga ake ai i ngā mahi kapa haka ki roto anō i tō rātou ake rohe. Ka tautoko hoki ēnei pūtea i te tū o Te Matatini ia rua tau e puawai mai ai ngā hua reka o ngā kapa o te motu.

“Financial certainty for Te Matatini over the coming years is one thing, however, it will also ensure that through kapa haka, Te Reo Māori and Māori culture can be enjoyed all throughout Aotearoa, New Zealand. This will help us celebrate the ongoing revitalisation of our language and tikanga,” Mr Potaka says.

“He mea nui te pūtea tautoko o te Kāwanatanga mō te oranga tonutanga o Te Matatini, me te aha, mā ngā mahi kapa haka e pūmau ai te whakarauoratanga o Te Reo Māori me ōna tikanga hei painga mō Aotearoa whānui,” hei tā Minita Potaka.

“There are also clear economic benefits - in 2023 the Te Matatini event in Auckland was attended by more than 70,000 people. The economic contribution to Auckland as a result of the festival was at least $22 million. The kotahitanga contribution to our communities was priceless.

“He mārama te kite i ngā patanga ōhanga ka hua mai i ēnei pūtea – i te tau 2023, nui atu i te 70,000 tāngata i tae atu ki Te Matatini I tū ki Tāmaki Makaurau. Me te aha, koni atu i te $22 miriona tāra i rere tō tika ki roto i te ōhanga o Tāmaki Makaurau, ko Te Matatini te take. Waihoki ko te hua kāmehameha ko te kotahitanga o ngā hapori.

“Our Government will not be leaving important programmes like this unfunded. We want to see Māori culture thrive, and I encourage everyone who has the chance to experience kapa haka or attend Te Matatini to do so,” Mr Potaka says.

“E kore tō mātou Kāwanatanga e tuku i ngā kaupapa pēnei kia tārewa rawa kore ana. Ko tā mātou e whai nei, ko te oranga o te ahurea Māori. Ka whakatenatena mārika ahau i te katoa kia rongo i te reka o ngā mahi kapa haka, kia mātakitaki rānei i Te Matatini inā wātea ana,” hei tā Minita Potaka.

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