A kapa haka festival in Australia at the weekend has been described as "spectacular".
Eleven roopu, or groups, performed in Canberra to decide which would represent their Australian state at New Zealand's premier Maori cultural performance - Te Matatini in Rotorua - in 2013.
There were three winners: from New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.
The performances were attended by the Maori King King Tuheitia and New Zealand's High Commissioner to Australia Martyn Dunne.
It is estimated up to 3000 people attended the two-day festival.
The Chairman of Maori Performing Arts Australia, Isaac Cotter, says the performances were "awesome and spectacular", with King Tuheitia declaring the show the best ever kapa haka event across the Tasman.
Mr Cotter says the crowds are getting bigger, the enthusiasm is greater, the competition is fiercer - and everybody's talking about 2014 and where it is going to be.
