Today is the second day of the preliminary rounds at Te Matatini. Photo: Te Matatini Enterprises / SUPPLIED
Haka fans get another day of watching some of the best groups in the country perform at Te Matatini.
The second day of the preliminary rounds on Wednesday will see three powerhouse groups from Auckland go head to head.
The last time Ngā Tumanako, Angitu and Te Waka Huia were on stage at the Auckland regional competition, it ended in a three-way tie.
With only three finals spots up for grabs and 11 other teams in the mix on Wednesday, the competition is bound to be fierce - making it a possibility that one of the three will miss out on a spot in the finals.
As thousands turn up to watch and support their favourite kapa, there are hundreds of volunteers keeping the festival ticking along trouble free.
Former Minister and Te Pāti Māori co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell was one of more than 700 ringa hāpai or volunteers lending a hand across the entire week.
Hosting was a huge undertaking for local iwi, but so far the energy and venue have been awesome, he said.
"Just hugely proud of what's going on here and the event itself, because it brings our people together along the lines that Kiingi Tuheitia talked about 'Kotahitanga o te iwi'."
Te Ururoa Flavell. Photo: RNZ/Pokere Paewai
Fitness is incredibly important in the world of Kapa Haka - groups train for months to be stage fit.
For the past 12 months, Leanne Matuku has been helping a local group Ngā Purapura o Te Taihauāuru get haka fit.
Matuku said she'll proudly watch the teams work turn into haka action.
"This is kind of the culmination of all their mahi, so it's pretty exciting I feel like a Mother Hen."
Isaiah Reihana Thompson performs for Tairāwhiti group Whāngāra Mai Tawhiti - who will be on stage on Friday.
They had 11 weekend-long noho - practice sessions - one every fortnight, he said.
The best part of practice is staying in the small east coast community of Whāngāra where the group is based, he said.
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