Te Matatini

Te Matatini is a nationwide Māori performing arts festival and competition for kapa haka performers from all of New Zealand and Australia. The name was given by Professor Wharehuia Milroy, a composite of Te Mata meaning "the face" and tini denoting "many" — hence the meaning of Te Matatini is "many faces".^[1]

The Te Matatini festival is held every two years in different regions of New Zealand. Authority (mana) is given to different tribes (iwi) to host the festival. For example, in 2017 the mana was given to Te Whanganui-a-Tara on behalf of the Ngāti Kahungunu (Heretaunga) region.

Mead (2003) explains: Mana is undergone by a set of rules before it is given, the people or person in charge has to accept these constraints and strive to rise above them in order to do the job that is set before them.

Te Matatini is seen as playing a very important role within Māoridom in promoting the tikanga of the Māori culture and kapa haka. It provides a valuable experience for the people of New Zealand and others from all around the world, with the festival attracting up to 30,000 participants and spectators. Te Matatini celebrates the Māori culture, its beauty, and its core values. Kapa haka is a form of Māori identity and contributes to New Zealand being unique.

The Te Matatini Society is the driving force behind Te Matatini National Kapa Haka Festival. Initially emerging in the late 1960s, it has evolved into the sponsor of a variety of Māori festivals and Polynesian events. The society in its current form was established in 1972 and has focused on the long term nurturing of Māori performing arts.^[2]

The next national kapa haka competition, Te Matatini 2025, will be held in New Plymouth at the Bowl of Brooklands, hosted by Te Kāhui Maunga, the Taranaki/Whanganui regional authority.^[3]