Many schools around Te Tairāwhiti have enthusiastically been learning the ancestral Māori game of Kī-o-Rahi.
The Manawakura team at Whiti Ora have been sharing the pūrākau (legend) and kemu (game) with schools around Tairāwhiti and playing according to the values of whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, and rangatiratanga.
“The festival was a huge success and we’ve received overwhelming positive feedback.” Said Manawakura Advisor Fergus Knight.
“The highlight for me has been seeing young people coming together and pushing themselves as hard as they can while maintaining so much respect for each other, even clapping when the opposition scores points. The game is super inclusive, fun and incorporates a wide variety of skills and strategies. It’s the best game in the world.”
“Thank you to all the teachers who gave these young people the opportunity to play and thanks to the secondary school students who did a professional job officiating the games.”
21 schools registered for the festival and 15 schools were able to attend the festival. On the day we had 200 year 5 and 6 students from St Mary’s, Sonrise Christian School, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Waiu o Ngāti Porou, Makaraka, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o, Whatatutu, Kaiti, Whangara, Muriwai, Ngatapa, Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Ngā Uri a Māui, Gisborne Central, Manutūkē, Kahukuranui & Tolaga Bay, Mangapapa and Wainui Beach.
TKKM Nga Uri a Maui and Kaiti School battled it out for first place with Kaiti School walking away with the win.