The Many Faces Festival (Te Matatini National Kapa Haka Festival)

Mailing address:
Te Matatini National Kapa Haka Festival
P. O. Box 5619
Lambton Quay
Wellington 6145 New Zealand
Physical address:
Te Matatini National Kapa Haka Festival
Level 12 Petherick Tower
38 - 42 Waring Taylor Street
Wellington, New Zealand
Phone: (64) 04-499-6158
Fax: (64) 04-499-6157
Email: admin@tematatini.org.nz

The Te Matatini National Kapa Haka Festival’s aim is to foster, develop, and protect the traditional Maori performing arts in the pursuit of excellence. Thirty teams and a total of about 1,300 performers battle for supremacy in Maori performing arts. Kapa Haka is commonly used to describe modern day performance of traditional and contemporary Maori song. The performance can be competitive or non competitive and can be performed by any number of people. Kapa Haka celebrates Maori contribution to New Zealand’s uniqueness in this modern world. Kapa Haka removes the battlefields of Maori ancestors with inherent competitiveness now taking place on stage. Kapa Haka recognizes the strength of diversity among Maori tribes—iwi, hapu, whanau—while equally encouraging all of us to come together and celebrate as one.

http://www.tematatini.org.nz/festival_2007.html