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Last modified: 13 Oct 2020 8:15am

A group of students performing kapa haka in front of a school classroom

On Sunday 18 October a Lincoln High School sports team will gather on the Lincoln Domain ready to demonstrate the traditional Māori sport of Kī-o-Rahi.

Team Manager and coach, Lincoln High School teacher Matua Tihirangi Brightwell says he introduced the sport to the school in 2015 and the passion for the sport grew from there.

“Basically the students love it! I didn’t have to do much selling, because it’s like nothing they’ve necessarily ever played before, but it can draw on lots of different skills of games they actually already play.”

Tihirangi says he enjoys developing the teams and seeing them compete because of his passion for the sport.

“I value it, I like to play it, I believe in the sport so it’s easy for me to be involved.”

Tihirangi says it is better watched than described, but put simply Kī-o-Rahi is played on a circular field with a barrel, in the middle. One team scores points by throwing a ball at the barrel while the opponents defend the barrel and attempt to score a try.

Tihirangi will also lead the secondary schools’ combined Kapa Haka group Te Kāhui Whetū o Waihora for a performance.

He says CultureFest will be a great opportunity for these students from Lincoln, Darfield, Rolleston and Ellesmere secondary schools to showcase what Kapa Haka means to them.

“Kapa Haka is a great way for some of the students to grow as people, build confidence and be involved in things Māori if they’re not Māori. I truly believe in what Māoridom has to offer so all I can do is present it, and that’s part of the reason why we wanted to do CultureFest. We’re going to showcase what Māoridom means to these four schools and to their families and give the audience a glimpse of the passion and the enjoyment.”

For more information visit our CultureFest page.