When culture calls, we answer
In February 2025, thousands of performers, judges, organisers, and supporters travelled from across Aotearoa to gather for Te Matatini, the pinnacle of kapa haka excellence. For many attending, the journey itself was just as important as the performance — bringing together whānau, iwi, and communities from across the motu.
Behind the scenes, however, events of this scale require significant coordination. With limited flights, accommodation pressures, and large travelling groups, ensuring everyone arrived where they needed to be — on time and without stress — was critical.
That’s where Aupiki stepped in.
The Challenge
Te Matatini events involve complex travel arrangements for large delegations travelling from multiple regions.
Key challenges included:
- Coordinating travel for multiple groups arriving from across New Zealand
- Managing flight availability during a peak travel period
- Securing accommodation close to event venues
- Supporting last-minute schedule changes and large group logistics
For organisers and participating groups, the goal was simple — focus on the kaupapa and the performances, not the travel logistics.
What we delivered
Aupiki worked closely with organisers and travelling groups to ensure every element of the journey was managed smoothly.
We successfully:
- Managed flights and on-ground transfers for all Judges
- Organised travel for multiple kapa, including some from Australia
- Successfully secured enough accommodation, flights and rentals for all of our travellers
- Provided on-ground support to travellers throughout the week
By centralising travel management, organisers and tutors were able to focus on the main kaupapa – Kapa Haka.
The outcome
With travel logistics handled seamlessly, performers and supporters could focus on what mattered most — celebrating the strength of kapa haka and the richness of te ao Māori.
Groups arrived prepared, travel disruptions were minimised, and organisers had the confidence that experienced travel specialists were supporting their event behind the scenes.
Events like Te Matatini demonstrate how thoughtful travel coordination can remove complexity and enable people to come together for moments that matter.