Te Kura o Te Teko - Ngā Taiohi have been crowned the winners of Te Mana Kuratahi, the national primary school kapa haka competition.

Fifty-seven groups and over 2000 performers from around the country performed this week in Gisborne.

Te Kura o te Teko - Ngā Taiohi performed on Wednesday and won a majority of the aggregate items, including the whakaeke/entrance, poi, haka and whakawatea/exit.

The Bay of Plenty school has a roll of 172 students and their winning kapa haka group are expected back at the kura tonight where they and all the taonga they won will be welcomed home.

A person at the school who didn't want to be named said the group practiced for hundreds of hours, even during their holidays and they're all extremely proud of their kapa haka and can't wait to see the group.

The biennial competition is for students in years 0 through to year 8.

Each school had to first compete in a regional competition to qualify.

The next Te Mana Kuratahi will be hosted by Waikato-Tainui in 2019.

- RNZ