Media Releases

Ruamata: It's More than Hockey

Released at 9:59 am on 25 January 2024

Mātakihia te whakatairanga / Watch the trailer

A group of teenagers in a blue sports uniform perform a haka holding hockey sticks. Text reads "Ruamata, it's more than hockey" and there is an RNZ tohu in the corner

Photo: RNZ / Adrian Heke

He pakipūmeka mīharo a Ruamata: It’s More Than Hockey e rangona ai te ihi, te wehi, me wana o te kapa haupoi tāne o Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ruamata, kia whakapāhotia kore utuhia ki rnz.co.nz/ruamata atu i te 1 o Pepuere 2024.

Ka kitea i roto i te pakipūmeka roa nei, ngā aupiki me ngā auheke a te kapa o TKKM o Ruamata, i a rātou ka eke ki te whakataetae Rankin Cup 2023, arā, ko te whakataetae haupoi kura tuarua tiketike o Aotearoa. He tuatahitanga i ngā tau kotahi rau o te whakataetae.

Koia nei te pakipūmeka hākinakina reo Māori tuatahi kua whakapuakina i Aotearoa nei, me te aha, ka whakaritea ki te pakanga i waenga i a Rawiri rāua ko Koriaha. Arā, ko te punua kura kaupapa Māori e 32 noaiho ngā tama hei kōwhiringa ki te kapa, e tātāwhāinga atu ana ki ngā kura Pākehā whai rawa o
te motu.

He moemoeā tēnei kua tekau tau e wawatahia ana e te kaiako, nō Tenga Rangitauira, he Rakura hoki nō te kura, kia eke tōna kapa ki ngā tihi teitei o te motu. 

Ko te rangitāmirotanga tēnei o ngā kōrero hītori o te kura, te ara i haere ai te kapa mohoā nei, tae atu ki ngā wero ka pā ki te kapa i runga, i waho hoki i te papatākaro haupoi.

Hei tā te Kōmihana Māori o RNZ, hei tā Jana Te Nahu Owen, koinei te taumata o ngā pūrākau Māori e whai tūrangawaewae ai ki ngā ngākau o te motu whānui.

“Ruamata: It’s More Than Hockey makes stars of the rangatahi in a hockey team from a small kura kaupapa Māori in Rotorua that is led by a remarkable coach with the support of whānau and the whole hapori(Community). There are plenty of challenges and moments of success and it’s beautifully made. It’s a great example of content that normalises te reo Māori and its exactly what we are looking for with RNZ Māori commissioning.”

Me te hīkaka o te ringatohu, o Kereama Wright, ka puta tēnei hei kai mā te ao
whānui.

“Ko te manako ia, ka kite te motu, ehara te reo Māori, te kura Māori, otirā, te tuakiri Māori i te taupā, kia ekea ai ngā tihi teitei o te maunga, ahakoa te mahi.”

“Hei tauira tēnei ki ngā iwi taketake o te ao. Arā, kia ū tātou ki tō tātou ahurea, ki tō tātou motuhaketanga, ahakoa haere ai tātou ki hea.”


Ruamata: It’s More Than Hockey, is a remarkable story of pride, passion and determination, streaming free at rnz.co.nz/ruamata from Thursday 1 February.

This feature length documentary captures the journey of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ruamata and their rise to the upper echelons of hockey in Aotearoa as they become the first Māori immersion school in a century to compete in the prestigious Rankin Cup in 2023.

Aotearoa’s first te reo Māori feature length sports documentary, Ruamata: It’s More Than Hockey is a classic David vs Goliath story. With just 32 boys to choose from, can this tiny Kura Kaupapa Māori compete against Aotearoa’s top private schools?

It had been the dream of former student turned coach, Tenga Rangitauira, to take his team to the most prestigious tournament in Aotearoa for more than a decade.

Interweaving tales of the kura, whānau and the challenges facing the team on and off the hockey turf, this compelling and inspirational documentary shines a light on the little Māori school that could and the inspirational coach that took his team to represent their kura and te iwi Māori at the highest level.

RNZ Māori Commissioner Jana Te Nahu Owen says the film is a great example of Māori storytelling that many New Zealanders will enjoy.

“Ruamata: It’s More Than Hockey makes stars of the rangatahi in a hockey team from a small kura kaupapa Māori in Rotorua that is led by a remarkable coach with the support of whānau and the whole hapori(Community). There are plenty of challenges and moments of success and it’s beautifully made. It’s a great example of content that normalises te reo Māori and its exactly what we are looking for with RNZ Māori commissioning.”

Director and co-producer Kereama Wright says he’s excited to share the story with the people of Aotearoa. 

“Very rarely do you come across a sports documentary entirely in te reo Māori with English subtitles. Our hope is that this documentary shows te reo Māori and kura Kaupapa Māori is not a barrier to achieving national success.”

“The Ruamata team provides a blueprint for other indigenous cultures to excel in sports while also holding steadfast to their culture and uniquely Māori identity.”

Out on rnz.co.nz/ruamata on Thursday 1 February. With English subtitles. Made with support from Te Māngai Pāho, Ruamata was directed and co-produced by Kereama Wright (Mairanga Media) and co-produced by Mahanga Pihama (NZ Wars).