Ngā Tūmanako was originally founded for and by foundation students of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi Marae. The kapa aims to amplify te reo Māori and the Māori culture through the medium of performing arts. Ngā Tumanako was crowned Te Toa Whakaihuwaka – the winners of Matatini ki te Ao. 

Kaitātaki Tāne, Kawariki Morgan, and Kaitātaki Wāhine, Marama Jones, join us to talk about the journey to realising hauora is haka and haka is hauora

About Kawariki Morgan and Marama Jones

Kawariki Morgan, of Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Hine, Te Whānau a Apanui descent, grew up in a unique Māori environment in the biggest city in Aotearoa. He was a foundational member of the first-ever Kura Kaupapa Māori at Hoani Waititi Marae who became a part of Ngā Tumanako, recent national champions of Te Matatini Kapa Haka.

Marama Jones, of Ngai Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Pūkenga descent, was raised in the city by her mum Donna Gardiner. She too is a graduate of the kura kaupapa Māori movement and Hoani Waititi Marae who went on to become an original member of Ngā Tumanako who has been with her kapa since its inception.