Ruatahuna Tops People’s Choice on Maori Television

PUBLICITY RELEASE
MONDAY FEBRUARY 26 2007

Ruatahuna Tops People’s Choice on Maori Television

Eastern Bay of Plenty performing arts group Ruatahuna Kakahu Mauku is the overall winner of the inaugural People’s Choice voting competition for Te Matatini National Kapa Haka Festival 2007.

New Zealand’s national indigenous broadcaster, Maori Television broadcast live from the finals of the country’s premier Maori arts festival in Palmerston North yesterday (February 25).

The top six groups competed for the coveted national title before the announcement of the supreme winner, East Coast kapa haka group Whangara Mai Tawhiti.

Members of the audience – both on site or watching at home – also voted for their favourite team by phone texting with all proceeds going to Te Matatini for the development of kapa haka.

Ruatahuna Kakahu Mauku was placed first in the People’s Choice followed by Te Waka Huia, then Te Whanau-a-Apanui, Whangara Mai Tawhiti, Tauira Mai Tawhiti and Opotiki Mai Tawhiti.

Maori Television’s coverage of Te Matatini – HAKA ’07 – will be repeated from Sunday April 8 at 6.00 PM.

ENDS

© Scoop Media