The notes of the waiata-ā-ringa 'E Te Tau o Taku Ake' echo across Eden Park.
A wahine performing in the group Te Ringa Kaha holds the portrait of a beloved friend and mentor.
As she and her rōpū sing, the framed photo of the late Jade Moses gazes out.
There is a sizable crowd, thousands strong, looking back.
They listen and watch as Te Ringa Kaha pays tribute to Moses.
In the words composed by Wharemako Paewai, they sing about the earth crumbling and the stars falling from the sky.
Te Ringa Kaha's performance is the realisation of the wish Moses once had - to be at Te Matatini, with the group he was instrumental in forming.
It is the first time the rōpū (group) Te Ringa Kaha has set foot on a national kapa haka stage. And it is perhaps the last time Jade Moses will be carried onto one.
Te Ringa Kaha hails from Rangitāne iwi territory. Their boundaries include parts of Manawatū, Horowhenua and Marlborough.
Manukura tāne (male leader) Wharemako Paewai said any part of a group's bracket can be used to pay tribute to a loved one but the waiata-ā-ringa (action song) "just felt right".
Moses died in 2020 and since that time, Te Ringa Kaha has waited to give him an on-stage farewell.
"We've been holding him for a while and we haven't been able to give him the send off that we've been wanting to, on stage. We've finally done that," said Paewai.
He explained that 'E Te Tau o Taku Ate' captures the pain of losing the cornerstone figure that Moses was to his kapa haka group.
The title itself can be interpreted as 'My Treasured One' or 'My Cherished One'.
"The stars falling from the sky, layers of earth crumbling down, though, that's what I felt like, when we lost him.
"As the song goes on, we go into saying farewell," continued Paewai.
One māmā from the group, Cheyenne Tehei, shared her Te Matatini experience.
"Being able to stand on stage and represent our whakapapa is priceless. My kids see this and know they can be proud to be Rangitāne…I've also found kapa haka to be rongoa for the soul."
Tehei trained and performed alongside her sister Pascal Joseph. Her whānau also made the long trip overnight to show their support.
She said she deeply values kapa haka and its impact on her life.
"I've felt grateful to my tupuna for handing down these traditions so that we as people can be strengthened mentally, physically, and emotionally. Kapa haka is more than a performance, it is a healing, refining and strengthening of the person, so they can be the best version of themselves."
Te Ringa Kaha anxiously await news to hear if they have made the cut to Saturday's finals.
GLOSSARY:
Waiata-ā-ringa - action song
Rōpū - group
Kapa - group, or people lined up in a row
Rangitāne - Tribe from Manawatū/Horowhenua/Marlborough
Manukura - leader
Manukura Tāne - male leader of the rōpū
Manukura Wahine - female leader of the rōpū
E Te Tau o Taku Ake - Name of the waiata-ā-ringa by Te Ringa Kaha
