Students perform a haka before begining a game of Hopu i te Ariki on day 4 of the Wiki Hā. Photo: RNZ/Pokere Paewai
Today is the last day of Wiki Hā - a week long celebration of sport and te reo for Kura Kaupapa Māori.
More than 1500 students from schools across the country will take part in a hīkoi through central Christchurch this morning.
The hīkoi named Toitū Te Aho Matua follows on from the mass hīkoi last month.
The Aho Matua model forms the philosophy of Kura Kaupapa Māori informing the curriculum for more than sixty schools that follow it.
Kohine Mackey-Harrison (Ngāi Tahu) is a student at Christchurch kura Whakapūmau i te Reo Tūturu ki Waitaha, she said it had been hard work for the Christchurch community hosting Wiki Hā - especially feeding everyone.
The best parts of the week were meeting other rangatahi, she said.
"Te tutaki i etahi tauira nō tetahi kura anō, tino pai te kite i ngā pukenga o ngā kura i ngā tini taumata."
"[It's great] meeting students from other schools and seeing the skills each school has at the various different levels [of the competition.]"
Kohine Mackey-Harrison Photo: RNZ/Pokere Paewai
She was looking forward to the hīkoi today, in spite of a broken leg.
"Kei te hīkoi hawhe way noa iho, nā te mea kei te pakarū tonu tōku waewae engari pai tonu. Toitū te Aho Matua!"
"I'm only walking halfway because I've got a broken leg but it's all good. Toitū te Aho Matua!"
Students at Wiki Hā hongi after a game of Hopu i te Ariki. Photo: RNZ/Pokere Paewai
Fitness and Māori weaponry take centre stage
On Wednesday - the fourth day of Wiki Hā - rangatahi took part in Parakiore, a crossfit based competition and new addition to the sports lineup.
Rounding out the sports was Hopu i te Ariki, a game based on the use of traditional Māori weaponry.
Students went into battle among the sand dunes and surf of Spencer Park Beach, north of Christchurch.
Hemi Tai Tin (Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Manu, Ngāpuhi, Tūwharetoa) was one original creators of the sport - with his friends at te Whare Tū Taua, the school of Māori weaponry.
Caption: Hemi Tai Tin. Photo: RNZ/Pokere Paewai
The idea came from a training drill they used, he said - which they found a bit dull after a while so they decided to expand it into a team sport.
"Ko te mate kē hoki he mahi takitahi, a koe ki tetahi atu ia ki a koe, koina ka pā te hōhā hei aha pea tēnei āhuaranga, me whakaope. Koina ka mea atu koutou haere ki tērā taha ko mātou ki tenei taha ka tūtaki tāua ki waenganui ka pakanga."
"The problem was it was an individual drill, you versus one other person, after a while we got tired of that and decided to make it a team sport. Teams take up positions on opposite sides then meet in the middle and battle."
