Kailyn Rapana will be part of the Te Rito and Otiria Marae Kapa Haka Roopu who will be taking on a roopu from Motatau Marae in what organisers say is the fiercest battle in the Peeni Wynyard Challenge.
It's a chance for Northland marae to challenge each other in sports but two Moerewa marae are hoping it will also kick start a kaupapa of being healthy.
The Peeni Wynyard challenge will see Te Rito and Otiria Marae take on reigning champions Motatau Marae on Saturday in kapa haka,
netball and rugby in a bid to end the latter marae's four streak victory. Manager of Te Rito and Otiria Marae, Mylie George, hoped this round of the challenge would be a chance to introduce whanau to ways of being healthy and active.
"For us we hope this will be a way of encouraging whanau to kick start a healthy life style. You go to marae and there is all this yummy food like fried bread and delicious desserts the nannies have made. So we really want to educate whanau that you can enjoy kai and be healthy," she said.
The Peeni Wynyard Challenge was started in the early 1980s by Ngati Manu kaumatua Peeni Wynyard and after disappearing for a while it was started up again last year. It sees different marae and hapu within Ngati Hine, Ngati Manu and Te Kapotai take each other on in netball, rugby and kapa haka.
"[Peeni Wynyard] saw the need for fundraising because many marae struggled to even buy toilet paper. So he put together an event that would encourage whanaungatanga and at the same time fundraise and show support for marae," said Ms George.
