Twelve kapa haka rōpū (groups) are battling it out on Saturday at Ngā Ana Wai/Eden Park to become the champions of Te Matatini 2023.
Thousands of spectators have filled the seats to watch Aotearoa New Zealand's premier kapa haka groups perform for the final day of the competition.
And Te Whānau a Apanui is the only rōpū from Mātaatua to make it through to the finals.
Tamati Waaka, manukura tāne (male leader) for Te Whānau a Apanui said they've been patiently waiting to return to the stage.
"Every two years we usually meet up, so this one's special because we haven't seen each other for four years," Waaka told Newshub.
He reckons the teams are fiercely competitive.
"I liken Te Matatini to the Māori Olympics," said Waaka.
"There's always a team that wows the crowd. That's the team that's going to win."
Nearly half of the rōpū through to the final are from Te Arawa, so the descendants of Apanui face stiff competition from the inland rōpū.
Te Whānau a Apanui have faced a few challenges since the last Te Matatini, including the eruption of Whakaari/White Island in their rohe (region) in 2019.
"It's still in the courts. Māori are fighting over it. So that's one of our kaupapa, saying 'actually hands off' - Te Whānau a Apanui have a lot to say and do with Whakaari," said Waaka.
He also credits the host iwi, Ngāti Whātua for their resilience.
"They've endured four years of preparing and postponing, but they've also been hit hard by floods and weather - yet here we are."
The winners are set to be announced just after 5pm.
