Schools and Kura from Gisborne travelled to Ruatoria on Wednesday to take part at the Ngata Sevens.
Ngata Sevens consists of rangatahi playing rugby and netball with the help of the Gisborne Netball Centre and Ngāti Porou East Coast Rugby.
There were 150 rangatahi participating from Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Waiu o Ngāti Porou, Ngata Memorial College, Gisborne Girls High School, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Uri a Māui, Gisborne Boys High, Lytton High and Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Horouta Wananga.
“We really appreciated the schools from Turanga travelling to Ruatoria to participate.” Said Ngata College Kaiako Matua Wayne Palmer
“Traditionally, Ngata Sevens is a kaupapa where the schools of Turanga would travel to the coast once a year to show their appreciation to the coast schools for travelling to Turanga for other sporting events. It was a great day and we’ve had awesome feedback all round especially from the rangatahi.”
Ngata Sevens was due to be held back in August but it was postponed twice and almost cancelled for 2022.
“We’re so happy that we were able to break the drought after two years due to covid and weather conditions and provide the rangatahi of Tairāwhiti an opportunity to come and celebrate whakawhanaungatanga. What better way to do it than with sports.” Said Whiti Ora Manawakura Advisor Shyla-Drew Taiapa.
Ngata Sevens wasn’t only about getting active, and participating in sport, it was about whakawhanaungatanga.
“The impact of having these schools attend this special occasion allowed the key component of the day to blossom which was whakawhanaungatanga” Said Whiti Ora Youth Development Advisor Iti Kahurangi Takurua-Keelan
“The dynamic of having schools in Gisborne and the East Coast allowed interaction opportunities that could not be possible without events like Ngata Sevens. Ngata Sevens was a success for both the rangatahi and the hapori.”