The 2015 Secondary Schools Kapa haka Competitions started today to see which schools will represent the Bay of Plenty region at the National competition in Hastings next July.
Fierce competition marks the rivalries between the regions schools, however in the end the people, the language and the culture are the victors.
It's the honour in representing your district at Nationals that the Bay of Plenty schools are chasing. Some schools even having unite and stand together under the banner of their iwi.
It's an event where the beauty of country folk is seen and the uniqueness of dialects is heard.
Therefore as this week is for celebrating, developing and revitalising the Māori language, awareness of the importance of our culture is also of paramount importance.
It's not as if only one group wins, but Māoridom is the victor in the Mataatua region today.
These were the overall final results for the Mataatua Secondary School Regional Kapa Haka Competition:
1st Place - Te Wharekura o Ruatoki
2nd Place - Te Mānuka Tūtahi
3rd Place - Te Wharekura o Mauao