Today will be the first time Hukarere Māori Girls College will be gracing the national kapa haka stage without their brother school Te Aute.
The last time Hukarere was seen performing at this level was back in 2010.
Tutor Kōkā-Hauwai says she is proud of the girls who will take the stage and represent their school.
“I feel nervous, anxious but am proud of the girls who will stand.”
It has been eight years since Hukarere performed at a national level and this year not only are they the only all-girls team that will take the stage, but today the ladies of the school are ready to show the beauty of who they are and what their school slogan, ‘Ki a ū ki te pai’, really means.
Amy Witinitara says, “It’s been tough, a lot of blood sweat and tears from the starting of the first wananga. It was- everyone was pumped and ready to get into it and it kept getting harder and harder, it just got really tough for us. To be here now it’s kind of a relief but we are still pumping to go out on stage.”
Hukarere are set to perform at 11.40am. Tune into www.maoritelevision.com for the live coverage of their performance.