Breaking language barriers: Te Matatini goes multilingual

Celebrating and connecting with Māori performing arts is becoming more accessible to Pacific language speakers as Te Matatini includes live translated commentary.

Thousands are expected to attend the world’s biggest kapa haka event in Ngāmotu/New Plymouth as day two of the competition ends on Wednesday.

The week-long biennial celebration showcases the finest traditional and contemporary Māori performing arts from Aotearoa and Australia.

Te Matatini has been held for over 50 years now, and for the first time, real-time English performance translations are being offered exclusively through their app.

With a 4.7 star rating on the Apple Store, the Te Matatini app is currently ranked the number one entertainment app in Aotearoa.

The Haka Translate tool has been upgraded for the final day of the festival, allowing commentary in English, Lea Faka-Tonga, Te Reo Māori Kūki ‘Āirani, Gagana Sāmoa, Vosa Vaka-Viti, and Mandarin.

PMN language show announcers Nemai Tagicakibau from PMN Fiji, Jeannie Pera from PMN Cooks, and PMN Sāmoa’s Agapetos Latu Leaupepe are some of the live interpreters, commentating from the Bowl of Brooklands at Pukekura Park.

Tagicakibau says they are well-prepared and receive plenty of information beforehand.

“We’re given a script of all the performances, their iwi names, the history, the story, the meaning behind their chants, waiata and kanikani (dance).

“(We are) also translating announcements on the go. Real-time interpretations.”

This year’s festival includes 55 competing haka groups from across Aotearoa and Australia, and the top three ranking teams from the pools will advance to the finals on Saturday, 1 March.

Tagicakibau says her role as a Fijian translator at Te Matatini “goes beyond simply translating words”.

“I am a cultural ambassador, ensuring that Fijian speakers and their culture are represented with respect and accuracy while fostering understanding between diverse communities,” the 531pi Pacific Days host says.

531pi Pacific Days and PMN Fiji host, Nemai Tagicakibau. Photo/Fala Haulagi/Facebook

“My role also is essential in bridging the language gap between the Fijian-speaking community and those participating in or attending the event, especially our Tangata Whenua.”

The PMN translators will depart for New Plymouth on Friday, 28 February, and Tagicakibau says she looks forward to being mesmerised by the performances.

When asked which team she will support, she simply replies, “Tūhourangi|Ngāti Wāhiao”.

Watch the livestream of Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga on Māori+, TVNZ Channel 2, or TVNZ On Demand, and download the app from the Apple Store or Google Play Store.