The first overseas ki-o-rahi team to tour New Zealand is due to arrive in Northland tomorrow.
The traditional Maori ball game was brought to Europe in World War II by soldiers of the 28th Maori Battalion, where it is still played in Italy and France in particular.
The world's firstinternational ki-o-rahi tour took place in 2010 when a largely Northland team, accompanied by legendary All Black captain Buck Shelford, played tests and demonstration games in the UK, France, Germany, Holland and Poland.
Now it's New Zealand's turn to repay the Europeans' hospitality as three mixed ki-o-rahi teams from the French city of Dieppe tour the country. The 21 girls and nine boys aged 16-18, as well as eight parents and two teachers from La Providence school, arrived on October 23 and are being hosted by a kura kaupapa in Turangi.
The Ki-o-rahi Dieppe Organisation members will visit Auckland today and arrive in Kawakawa tomorrow, where they will take a train ride, visit the Waitangi Treaty Grounds and catch a ferry to Russell. That evening they will learn to make poi and traditional kites at Kawakawa Primary School.
On Sunday they return to Waitangi for a blessing, a tournament and a working bee on Northland's first permanent ki-o-rahi playing field. That evening they travel to Taipa Area School, home of the current Northland champions, and on Thursday take part in a sports day at Broadwood in North Hokianga.
The tour ends next Friday when they will be hosted by Shelford, an avid ki-o-rahi fan.
Ki-o-rahi coach Harko Brown, of Kerikeri, said it was a chance to repay the French for the hospitality the New Zealand team had been shown on the historic 2010 tour. He hoped a German team would tour next year.
