Taranaki Tū Mai 2025 in Ōpunake was a hugely successful weekend and a special time for our iwi to come together. Even with the intense heat, the atmosphere throughout the weekend was positive, uplifting, and full of whanaungatanga. Sport, culture, and connection were at the heart of everything, with plenty of laughter, support, and shared moments across the grounds.
It was awesome to see whānau spending time together in the tent, supporting one another on the courts, fields, and stage, and simply enjoying being together. The sense of kotahitanga was strong and really showed the strength of our iwi when we come together.
We would also like to acknowledge Whakaahurangi Marae and sincerely thank the hau kāinga for opening their doors to us at short notice. Your manaakitanga in providing accommodation and welcoming our whānau made a huge difference and was deeply appreciated by all who stayed there.
A big mihi goes to our sports coordinators for the huge amount of work they put in before and during the event to make sure everything ran smoothly. We also acknowledge our caterers, who did an amazing job keeping everyone fed and looked after across the weekend. To the many whānau who helped out behind the scenes, setting up, packing down, guiding people, and offering awhi wherever it was needed, your time, effort, and aroha made a real difference.
A huge shout-out to our very own kapa haka rōpū, Te Uru o Te Rangi, who graced the Tū Mai stage on Sunday. They represented our iwi with pride through waiata and haka, and it was truly inspiring to see multiple generations of whānau performing together.
Thank you to everyone who came along, took part, and supported Taranaki Tū Mai 2025. These gatherings continue to strengthen our connections as an iwi, and we look forward to coming together again soon.
“Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini.”
Our strength is not that of an individual, but of the collective.
