Poi Competition: What It Is, Where It’s Run and How It’s Judged

The poi item of a kapa haka set, in which a team sings and swings light balls on cords in rhythm, combining song, body movement and precise poi work.

Poi is the fourth compulsory item of a kapa haka set. Performers swing poi, light balls attached to cords, in rhythmic patterns while singing in te reo Maori. The balls are twirled, struck against the body and passed between hands in time with the song, so the sound of the poi becomes part of the percussion.

On eTalenter the item is installed once, on the New Zealand secondary schools kapa haka template. It is a team entry in te reo Maori for mixed teams in a single Kura Tuarua group, ages 13 to 18, scored out of 100 with marks as the score type. The template follows the national kapa haka rules, where each compulsory item is scored out of 100 and the whole set must fit inside 25 minutes.

A finished entry pairs a sung text with a pattern of poi work that every performer repeats in unison. Teams lodge the words in advance, so the panel can follow the te reo while watching the poi. Strong items vary the patterns while keeping the cords, balls and bodies moving as one.

The national rules also recognise a separate award for a newly composed poi (a Titonga Hou award). It is distinct from the placing score, so a team can be rewarded for its composition while still losing marks on delivery.

Where Poi is run

On eTalenter, Poi is used in one template: the New Zealand secondary schools kapa haka template, where it is the fourth of the seven compulsory items. The form belongs to kapa haka, the Maori performing arts of Aotearoa New Zealand, as run by schools, communities and national kapa haka events. The template is built from the national event rules; the age range for the secondary event is recorded as unverified because that event does not publish its own rules.

• New Zealand (Aotearoa)

Key facts

• Team entry in te reo Maori, mixed teams, one Kura Tuarua group (ages 13 to 18 on the template)
• Scored out of 100; one of seven compulsory items that decide the final placing
• Five judges score each compulsory item; the highest and lowest marks are dropped and the middle three are averaged
• All seven compulsory items must fit within 25 minutes in total; the template sets no separate time limit for poi
• The words are lodged in advance so the panel can follow the te reo
• Idea, not a rule: choose a few poi patterns that suit the song’s tempo and repeat them cleanly rather than cramming in many different moves

On eTalenter, Poi is filed under On Stage and typically scored with Marks. It appears in 1 ready-made event templates — each one can adjust its time limit, age-group assignment and scoring setup independently.

Across the templates that use it, Poi is most often entered as an Team competition, typically scored out of 100.

What judges look at in Poi

What a Poi panel is actually weighing up, and where the marks are usually won or lost:

• Poi technique: balls swing on a clean arc, strikes land on the beat and cords do not tangle
• Unison and timing: every poi in the team moves at the same moment, so the pattern looks and sounds as one
• Vocal quality and blend: clear, balanced singing that holds while the arms are working
• Accuracy and clarity of te reo: every word pronounced correctly and audible, matching the lodged text
• Variety and control of patterns: changes of rhythm and direction are planned and finished cleanly
• Presentation: formation, expression and energy keep the item alive from first beat to last

Treat these as the judging focus, not a fixed rubric: publish your own weighted criteria for Poi under Scoring Setup, or start from the judge scoring and tabulation guide.

How to prepare for Poi

How entrants and their teachers usually get Poi right on the day:

• Fix the poi length and weight for each performer early, because uneven cords break unison
• Build the pattern in small blocks of eight counts and write each block down so everyone learns the same sequence
• Practise slowly with a metronome or clapped beat before adding the song
• Rehearse singing while swinging at full speed so breath control holds in the last verse
• Film a run-through and check that strikes, turns and hand changes land together
• Carry spare poi to the venue and check the cords for wear before going on
• After a regional loss, review a recording for dropped balls and ragged timing before rewriting the item

Frequently asked questions

Is Poi judged individually or as a team?

Across eTalenter’s templates it’s most often run as an Team entry, though an organiser can set either participation type when assigning the item to an age group.

Is Poi the same as Waiata a-ringa?

No. On this template they are separate compulsory items with their own scores. Waiata a-ringa is the action song with hand and body gestures; poi is the item built around swinging poi with the song.

Is Poi judged individually or as a team?

As a team. The whole group is scored together out of 100, and individual performers are not marked separately for it.

How long is a Poi item?

The template sets no separate limit. On the national model, all seven compulsory items together must fit inside 25 minutes.

Can a team skip it?

Not on this template: it is one of the seven compulsory items that decide the placing. Only Waiata Tira is optional.

Want the full judging picture? Read the judge scoring and tabulation guide, or browse every on stage competition item.