“I was preparing to die, and I was okay with it.” Kapa Haka icon opens up about his lifestyle change.
In the world of Kapa Haka, Rawiri Toia’s voice is iconic. For decades, he was known as the big man in the middle of the Te Waka Huia lineup, the man with massive sound. But behind that booming presence was someone who wore a 7 XL shirt, quietly losing his health, his confidence, and almost, his will to live.
“I was 193 kilograms,” Rawiri recalls. “I was big and unhealthy. I had put myself in a mindset where I was preparing to die, and I was okay with it.” It’s a confronting admission from a man who had everything to live for: a loving wife, supportive whānau, a respected role in Māori performing arts, and a deep connection to his culture. Yet, the toll of years of poor health was showing.
Te Ao with Moana reporter Potaka Maipi caught up with Rawiri and his whānau in Waikato. His daughter Danielle Toia, who runs the whānau business Indigi with her father, remembers some of the milestone moments that created both anxiety and celebration.
“I just remember one Sunday, Mum bought new white chairs for our kaitahi,” she laughs. “And everyone held their breath as Dad sat on the white chair. Because he always has his designated white seat at the table.
“And then after that, we were like Oh my gosh! He sat on the white chair. We were almost celebrating when Dad sat on the white seat. And it’s just these little milestones.”
Those moments of quiet victory became steps toward change.
The loss of a close friend and Te Waka Huia member, Hone Dickson, became a turning point. It sparked not only his personal transformation but also a cultural shift within Te Waka Huia.
Under the guidance of Hare Rua, Tapeta, and Annette Wehi, the group adopted a hauora kaupapa called Hauora ki te Ao, a wellbeing movement that inspired Rawiri to reclaim his health.
These days, he’s up before dawn, walking 5 kilometres every morning at six. Each hīkoi grows longer and faster.
His friend and leader of Te Waka Huia, Tapeta Wehi, sums it up best:
“We’ve always known him as the big fella. And now he’s the skinny fella. That’s the embodiment of Hauora ki te Ao. We must reflect the change we want to see. Not just tell others what to do, but lead by example.”
Known for his deep, commanding voice, Rawiri had always filled a stage. But after shedding 78 kilograms, he jokes that people can hear him before they see him.
“People come up and say they heard me but couldn’t find me on stage. Before, I was the guy you couldn’t miss.”
There was no surgery, no quick fix. Just a complete mind shift. “I’m down 78kgs and 30 of that has been in the past 12 months. I don’t know whether to be insulted or really happy that I walk past people and they don’t know it’s me now,” he says.
The transformation has been more than physical. Rawiri is now free from medication, diabetes, and the limitations that once defined him. “We are enjoying being together, with our kids and their partners, our mokopuna,” he smiles. “Now we are able to enjoy just a bit more.”
