New Zealanders should be asking some very hard questions about where their money is going. The government has committed over $49 million in funding for Te Matatini, the national kapa haka festival, through to the 2027/28 financial year. That includes a $48.7 million three-year allocation announced in Budget 2024. To put this into perspective, recent annual funding has been around $17 million. This is a huge jump for what is essentially a performance festival, and it really does raise some serious questions about priorities.
A typical kapa haka act includes half-naked foot stomping, chest slapping, and waving homemade poi. I wouldn’t be surprised if the venues are on Māori land or donated for the event. Costs such as staging, security, their website, marketing, ticketing, toilets, staff and stalls are real, but when you break it down, the overheads are minimal compared to the scale of funding being handed over. Tens of millions of dollars for something that is largely about showing off a performance? It doesn’t add up.
This is not about preserving culture. This is about political optics, virtue signalling, and inflating a festival to justify a massive government cheque. At a time when housing costs are skyrocketing, hospitals are under pressure, and everyday New Zealanders are struggling to pay bills, committing nearly $50 million to a festival seems utterly tone-deaf. Ordinary citizens are being asked to tighten their belts while millions are poured into a show that is stripped of its original meaning and blown up for appearances.
The scale of funding suggests a disconnect from reality. New Zealanders deserve accountability, yet the government continues to hand out enormous sums with little scrutiny. Te Matatini may be a celebration of Māori culture, but it has been transformed into a political tool, prioritising spectacle over substance. And while a select few benefit from this lavish funding, most New Zealanders are left questioning why their taxes are being spent in this way.
At the end of the day, $49 million is being poured into what is ultimately a staged performance. Yes, it may preserve some traditions, but it also feeds into a cycle of political theatre where appearances matter more than impact. Meanwhile, the rest of the country struggles to make ends meet. This is not just wasteful; it is an insult to taxpayers, to common sense, and to the very culture it claims to celebrate.
Matua Kahurangi is just a bloke sharing thoughts on New Zealand and the world beyond. No fluff, just honest takes. He blogs on https://matuakahurangi.com/ where this article was sourced
This is not about preserving culture. This is about political optics, virtue signalling, and inflating a festival to justify a massive government cheque. At a time when housing costs are skyrocketing, hospitals are under pressure, and everyday New Zealanders are struggling to pay bills, committing nearly $50 million to a festival seems utterly tone-deaf. Ordinary citizens are being asked to tighten their belts while millions are poured into a show that is stripped of its original meaning and blown up for appearances.
The scale of funding suggests a disconnect from reality. New Zealanders deserve accountability, yet the government continues to hand out enormous sums with little scrutiny. Te Matatini may be a celebration of Māori culture, but it has been transformed into a political tool, prioritising spectacle over substance. And while a select few benefit from this lavish funding, most New Zealanders are left questioning why their taxes are being spent in this way.
At the end of the day, $49 million is being poured into what is ultimately a staged performance. Yes, it may preserve some traditions, but it also feeds into a cycle of political theatre where appearances matter more than impact. Meanwhile, the rest of the country struggles to make ends meet. This is not just wasteful; it is an insult to taxpayers, to common sense, and to the very culture it claims to celebrate.
Matua Kahurangi is just a bloke sharing thoughts on New Zealand and the world beyond. No fluff, just honest takes. He blogs on https://matuakahurangi.com/ where this article was sourced
15 comments:
Do you think that there's any chance of getting a million or two for our morrris dancing group?
We have advised friends of this ongoing waste and they have had no knowledge of it. Mainstream media have reported it, but since people have tuned out of watching TV News, we can expect more of these sorts of rorts. A Kapa Haka festival is not a necessity. How many houses would that money have contributed to?!
“$49 Million for kapa haka. What exactly Is this money for?”
It’s for Kapa Haka bro, you answered it in the title of your post. Kia Kaha!
When asked recently if there was anything she'd have liked to do differently, Nicola Willis replied she wouldn't defund the Labour Party Maori tax money laundering schemes.
So which minister is responsible.for funneling an obscene amount into kapa haka whilst the rest of nz suffers?
The Herald reports "Finance Minister Nicola Willis receives rock star welcome on opening day of ‘kapa haka Olympics"
Maybe it's "prize money" for the winning tribe who then gets to go overseas masquerading as "tourist promoting ambassador's" for apartheid Aotearoa.
Re: Anon 614, we obviously have a comedian in our midst.
A preposterous support sum for the insurgency coordination and support network. Combined with the disruption of productive work, m.d.os associated, the total cost to the country must be enormous.Any advantage due exercise is more than cancelled by the feasting .Ludicrously, all contributes to GDP, the only logical explanation..
Not a comic but a saboteur. Their intellect clearly not up to matching that of most contributors. Hence the irrational attempts at disruption.
And its not even been made a public holiday. What happened to the good old days when the AB's lost a match the government go tossed out.
I would be quite open to seeing a professional cultural performance at the halftime interval of any NPC or Super Rugby game.
Mainly because the present level of entertainment is an absolute horror show.
However - I agree, fifty million bucks is an irregular sum for a "cultural dance" event.
Are they cloning Moas as part of the Hangi?
The money funnelled off to tobacco interests and incentivising investment in non-productive assets ie landlord socialism, is orders of magnitude greater than this piddling amount going to support our culture and the good of community and society. There are people getting handouts who don’t have New Zealander’s interests at heart, and it ain’t kapa haka groups.
'Cry me a river,' comrad-anon10-23
All significant monies paid by taxpayers should have detailed expense reports. How much money for transport, lodging, meetings, long lunches ….
If this is such a successful event why does it need funding from the taxpayer. Why have local businesses not sponsored it from all the money they make from the attendees. Why are not other regions paying for hosting rights as it is such a cash cow? Because it isn’t. This is more cultural welfare. This is so fiscally irresponsible from our government. But what’s new.
I can see real benefits for such support. If I were able to choose, I would be happy to support based on:
A. Gov provides a dollar for every dollar raised by Iwi, only paid after the event and upon the production of audited accounts
B. State employees must take annual leave as appropriate
C. No comments / protests suggesting that sovereignty was not ceded (or no crown funding will be provided)
D. No school days are affected
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