The teamwork, interconnectedness of community and straight joy of te ao Māori will the highlight during our Te Hurihanganui Festival this month. The one-day festival featuring 10 schools performing kapa haka and playing kio-rahi, will take place on the school field of Firth Primary from 9-2.30pm on Wednesday, 18 October. This is the first time Ngāti Hinerangi iwi has officially partnered with the schools of Matamata district to bring the most highly-anticpated kapa haka festival our rohe has seen, another step up from the same event last year that attracted more than 1500 tamariki and whānau. This year’s festival has been named Te Hurihanganui after the Ministry of Education funded initiative of the same name being delivered to our community by Ngāti Hinerangi. Te Hurihanganui supports communities to work together to address racism and inequity so that they can accelerate the achievement and wellbeing of ākonga Māori and their whānau. What works in communities will then be built back into the education system so that we see transformative shift for all ākonga Māori and their whānau throughout the education system. Te Hurihanganui Festival is part of Ngāti Hinerangi’s Hapori Whānui programme, a culturally significant event for all to participate in that will increase understanding and acceptance of te ao Māori and help break down barriers that perpetuate racism in our community.