Ki-o-Rahi is a growing sport in Northland. Umawera School wanted to get involved and use the sport as a way for children to learn leadership, to promote activity to whanau and to build relationships with other schools (and beat them at tournament too!).

The school set a goal to enter and participate in the year 5/6 event in Kaikohe and have been participating in ‘have a go’ sessions with their Energizer Joel Quitta-Moses.  The sessions have been focussing on developing skills and increasing strategic knowledge of the game.

Senior students have taken on the responsibility of learning the layout of the field and equipment needed so that in between visits from Energize, students are able to set up and officiate their own games. Time is also spent researching and learning from videos online, finding different activities and strategies that other schools and areas are doing to help grow their own skills. Umawera School has a great attitude towards creating play opportunities, allowing gear to be available during lunchtimes for those interested students to set up and run their own games, something the seniors have taken a leadership role in. It’s not just Ki-o-Rahi gear available though, students are able to play with all sorts of equipment to explore all sorts of skills and confidence and its through this experimental play that young people grow a love of moving.

Principal Christine Glimore says “this was about learning a new activity with our kids, learning about the game and the skills for Ki-o-Rahi then entering them into the Mid North Year 5/6 tournament. This also gives us another opportunity to deliver to our whanau when we have our whanau nights plus another activity for when we host other schools”.

The school is looking forward to taking part in the Mid North Ki-o-Rahi Tournament in March with future goals of learning more traditional Maori games and activities.

For information about the schools learnings, the game Ki-o-Rahi or the upcoming tournament feel free to contact Joel Quitta-Moses at joelq@sportnorth.co.nz or on 027 20 25 882 or Leela Hauraki at leelah@sportnorth.co.nz.