Waikato-Tainui hosted the Tribal Pride Music Concert 2009 as part of celebrations to mark 150 years of Kīngitanga. More than 4,500 people gathered at Ngāruawāhia’s Hopuhopu Sports Park to enjoy Kiwi music and summer sun.

The 12-hour not-for-profit concert featured a range of local and national Kiwi acts including performances by Whirimako Black, Nesian Mystik, House of Shem, Katchafire, Scribe and Kora.

“It was a great success and we were very pleased with the entire day,” says Waikato-Tainui chief executive officer Hemi Rau. “The crowd was well behaved, the bands were fantastic and the day truly belonged to all those who came to celebrate 150 years of Kīngitanga.”

It was a drug, alcohol and gang free concert, with children cooling off on a waterslide supplied by the local Fire Service, and the crowd enjoying a range of kai and beverages.

A special appearance by New Zealand’s Got Talent winner Chaz Cummings also got the crowd pumping.

Concert-goer Henare Rangitawa of Ngāti Maniapoto hoped Waikato-Tainui would make Tribal Pride an annual event. “I enjoyed the concert. It brings a lot of different cultures and different ethnicities together under the one aspect of unity. ‘Kōtahi te kōhao o te ngira, e kuhuna ai te miro mā, te miro whero me te miro pango.’ Kingi Tawhiao said that and I believe it holds true especially for things like this,” says Henare Rangitawa.

Proceeds from the concert included a koha of $20,000 to support the great work of the Hamilton organisation Te Whakaruruhau Māori Women’s Refuge. Te Puni Kōkiri supported the concert.