Traditional Maori sport finds a permanent place
In a New Zealand first, one South Waikato primary school is constructing its very own permanent ki o rahi field. Petrice Tarrant reports.
Jorja Bennetto’s imagination sparked the creation of New Zealand’s first permanent ki o rahi field at a South Waikato primary school.
The traditional Maori sport was introduced to Putaruru Primary School two years ago by Raukawa Charitable Trust. Most lunchtimes or afternoons since, keen students spent close to 20 minutes setting up the field – but not anymore.
Student Jorja’s idea to build the field transpired into a class project. Teacher Fraser Quinn said it had been entirely driven by his 27 buzzing students.
‘‘It is a truly authentic learning experience which has engaged our wider Maori community. It has also given our students a forever connection to the school in a Maori way.’’
The 8-11 year olds made a presentation to the board of trustees to secure funding for the project, researched the sport’s history, sourced logs to create the seven poles on the field and approached carver Kyle Shadrock.
Quinn said the students contacted seven district marae including Ngatira, Tapapa, Paparamu, Pikitu, Mangakaretu, Whakaaratamaiti and Ruapeke. Each marae told a legend to the children which then had to be translated into artwork.
Shadrock said he was impressed with the students’ translation of the legends and would choose symbols from each to carve onto the seven poles, or pou.
Quinn said the project’s $1000 cost was a worthy investment considering the school is 66 per cent Maori.
‘‘Our principal, Trish Scown, was very supportive.
‘‘She identified it as something for our future and this game is just as accommodating as rugby.’’
Raukawa Charitable Trust health promoter Kacey Maaka said the reintroduction of ki o rahi was initially brought about by Tariana Turia’s collaboration with the National government.
‘‘Quite honestly, from a Maori
THE GAME
Two teams play against each other on a circular field consisting of 3 highly visible concentric circles, each a minimum 100mm wide. Each circle constitutes a zone. The outer zone is ‘Te Ao’. It is 12 metres wide.
The middle zone is ‘Te Roto’. It is 6 metres wide.
The central zone is ‘Te Motu’ - this zone includes the ‘Tupu’ and ‘Pawero’.
The opposing teams are named Kioma and Taniwha.
The aim of the Kioma team is to score tries "tupu manawa" while the opposing Taniwha team attempts to score hits "tupu wairua" on the large centre target called a "tupu".
The team which scores the most points or the team which scores 10 times in a row wins the game. perspective we were never really given the opportunity to lead on that stuff when it came to collaborating with National or Labour.
‘‘So her [Tariana’s] initiative was to get inactive children more active in schools and that is one of the reasons Maori traditional games were brought about.’’
The introduction of ki o rahi into the
Jorja Bennotto, centre, came up with the idea to build a permanent ki o Rahi field which has been embraced by Hayden McCann, left, Ansaar Thebus, and the rest of her classmates. education system was considered a breakthrough, she said. It was Harko Brown, of Whakaaratamaiti Marae, who revitalised the nga taonga takaro, or traditional Maori sports and games.
‘‘People kind of view it as another sport like rugby but in actual fact it’s quite meaningful to participate in our traditional games,’’ she said.
Maaka is promoting the sport in 21 South Waikato schools and said Putaruru’s new ki o rahi field was just the tip of the iceberg.
‘‘Just like you have a rugby field and a netball court in every school, we want a ki o rahi field in every school.’’