Budget 2024 has included nearly $50m of funding for Te Matatini over three years.
Beginning in 2025/26, new funding of $48.7m was allocated by Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka.
“The significance of kapa haka to Te Ao Māori is something we value deeply, especially since the rise of the waiata-ā-ringa form with Tā Apirana Ngata. The contribution Te Matatini makes to our culture in Aotearoa, New Zealand, is without a doubt an important aspect of that. It also contributes positively to intergenerational learning among whānau.
“The last Government left New Zealanders with several unfunded programmes, and Te Matatini was unfortunately one of them with no funding after 2024/25. We’ve changed that.”
Potaka said the funding would allow Te Matatini to embed a regional kapa haka model, allowing communities to decide how to bring kapa haka to life in a manner suited to their region.
It will also support the biennial national festival – more than 70,000 people attended the last event in Auckland in 2023.
It contributed at least $22m to the economy, Potaka said.
“Our Government will not be leaving important programmes like this unfunded. We want to see Māori culture thrive, and I encourage everyone who has the chance to experience kapa haka or attend Te Matatini to do so.”
Kapa haka grows in popularity
Last year, Te Matatini had its first major funding boost in 50 years to the tune of $34 million over two years, and kapa haka has grown in popularity since.
Fifty five haka groups have qualified for the national competition in 2025, a record number that led organisers to announce five days of competition instead of four.
Sir Selwyn Parata, chairperson of Te Matatini, said in a statement earlier this week: "This unprecedented level of interest highlights the incredible talent and dedication within our Kapa Haka community."
'Sugar hit for kapa haka'
The Green Party, however, said the Te Matatini funding was a 'sugar hit' among a Budget that was "unambitious for Māori".
"Today's Budget is pathetic, underwhelming and lazy," said Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson.
"The Minister for Māori Development is clearly asleep at the wheel, I suspect he didn't even bother to get in the waka."
"The Government has chosen to turn back time on Te Tiriti progress with a Budget that does little for Māori and even less to honour our founding document.
"Māori Housing initiatives. Gone. Māori Climate initiatives. Gone. All there is is a small sugar hit for kapa haka. Our whānau will see right through this.
"The Te Tiriti-trashing legacy of this three-headed taniwha of a Government will be felt across decades as it exacerbates the generational trauma felt across our communities."
Te Pāti Māori's Debbie Ngarewa-Packer was also not impressed.
"I challenge anyone to see where the word Māori exists in the health budget.
"Where they talk about economic development, but in fact when you look at the multiplier effect that Matatini did, they've actually cut the Matatini budget.
"And that's an absolute shame on Tama [Potaka]".
Labour's Willie Jackson said "Māori have been completely ignored in this Budget", saying there were cuts for Māori Housing providers and rangatahi transitional housing.
"Māori Development has received zero funding for core services along with no new initiatives for Māori communities.
"It is an absolute disgrace that Māori are being used to pay for tax cuts at a time when whānau across the country are struggling.
"Almost $100 million has been saved by the Government choosing not to invest in support for Māori."
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