Te Arawa's Zahara Tamara runs the ball during the New Zealand Māori Rugby League Tuakana Tournament. Photo / Stephen Parker
Te Arawa's Zahara Tamara runs the ball during the New Zealand Māori Rugby League Tuakana Tournament. Photo / Stephen Parker
Every year Māori rugby league players all over New Zealand, as well as overseas, look forward to one event more than any other.
The New Zealand Māori Rugby League Tuakana Tournament, held at the Rotorua International Stadium at the weekend, attracts some of the best Māori players around in aweekend-long celebration of sport and culture.
Almost as thrilling as the rugby league itself are the pre-game haka - never short of passion and enthusiasm.
Players can choose to represent their iwi, hapū or whānau and this year's tournament attracted 36 teams - 10 in the Wāhine Toa, 20 in the Waka and six in Rohe.
Many eyes were on the Wāhine Toa tournament as some of the best women's players in the game made their presence felt. Among them were women's NRL stars, international representatives and representative players from other codes such as rugby union.
Lining up for the Te Arawa Wāhine Toa was Warriors NRLW player Hilda Mariu. Regardless of what happens in the future, Mariu has secured her place in women's rugby league history as the first ever try scorer in the inaugural NRL women's premiership last year.
Te Arawa Wāhine players appeal to the referee. Photo / Stephen Parker
She said there was a lot of pride and mana involved in playing in the tournament.
"This is the only time of the year, playing rugby league, where we get to represent our Māoritanga so for me this is the pinnacle of every season.
"At a Māori tournament, regardless of whether you play for whatever area or iwi, you always have that culture. That bond and Whakawhanaungatanga is always there. I play for Te Arawa but I'm from the far north so, again, there's that Whakawhanaungatanga there. I hold that in high regards in terms of a team culture."
Mariu was impressed by the level of competition in the women's tournament this year.
"It's actually been really good, the standard has lifted and there are 10 women's team this year which is awesome to see that the game is growing. To be at a Māori tournament and there's so many teams, I think that is just a sign for any of the organisations doing rugby league to keep growing it.
"There are lots of young girls out here, lots of wāhine out here that are keen to play that game."
As the women's game grows, pathways are being more strongly defined. Mariu's Warriors side is one such example.
"We just need to make sure we keep grinding and developing those pathways for our young ones so that when they do get to the NRLW they actually can play fulltime instead of working and playing."
Te Arawa's Kiripa Clarke looks to beat his man. Photo / Stephen Parker
Ever-humble, she put scoring the first ever try in the NRLW down to some "awesome" build-up play by the rest of the team but said it was something she would probably look back at when she finished her career and be proud of.
"You've got to make sure you keep maintaining it, I'm getting older now and I have to make sure I stay on top of my form. The biggest thing here is making sure our young ones have an even better pathway."
The Te Arawa Wāhine finished top of their pool with four wins from four before going on to lose 40-0 to Ngāti Umutahi in the final.
For the full results head to the New Zealand Māori Rugby League Facebook page.
