February 12, 2016
Kotahitanga celebrated in Tainui Games
The Waikato Tainui Games have become so big they stretch over three weekends.
The surfers have already been out at Raglan winning kudos for their marae, and this weekend the action shifts to Turangawaewae for indoor bowls, kiorahi, chess, tennis and waka ama.
The big event is the following weekend when up to 20,000 tribal members are expected at Hopuhopu for a sports including touch, rugby, basketball, power pulling, netball, table tennis and volleyball.
Tribal chief executive Parehawhia McLean says the biannual games are an effective way to reach tribal members.
"So the kaupapa is very much about kotahitanga, being proud of who we are as Waikato Tainui. Also the underlying theme is around promoting and investing in the well-being of our people and we do that through our 68 marae," she says.
Parekawhia McLean says the games will also include the launch of the tribe’s Maori language strategy Tikanga Ora Reo Ora, which aims for 80 percent of members in 2050 to be fluent speakers and users of te reo Maori.
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