Description

A modern-day journey into the world of kapa haka.
Te Ara o Hine Rēhia is a journey into the world of kapa haka, told through the lens of photographer MelissaBanks and her husband Jeremy. Each chapter in the book covers one of the seven different disciplines that make up a kapa haka bracket, evoking the emotions and feelings association with that aspect of performance.
Taken over 7 years, the photos feature the various kapa that Melissa and Jeremy’s daughters performed through school and at Te Matatini, the national kapa haka competition. Their efforts to raise their kōtiro with te reo Māori as their first language, is a common contemporary story of reconnection to language,
whakapapa and identity. Key to this journey has been the constant effort to surround their kōtiro withkaupapa Māori, a journey in which kapa haka has played a key role.
The text in Te Ara o Hine Rēhia explores the different disciplines in kapa haka, delving into the unique
aspects and nuances of each item, and exploring the practice and performance process. Ultimately this book reflects what kapa haka means to this whānau and the role that it has played in their intergenerational journey of cultural reconnection.
E kore au e ngaro, he kākano i ruia mai i Rangiātea.