Sportsmen lead Ngapuhi revival

Two of New Zealand's leading sports stars, Warriors rugby league co-captain Stacey Jones and former All Black rugby skipper Wayne Shelford, are joining forces to help to rebuild pride in their iwi.

Ngapuhi, New Zealand's largest iwi with more than 100,000 members, is organising a series of meetings to review the future economic, social and educational advancement of its people.

Jones and Shelford have been recruited to help to encourage young people to become involved in the future of their people.

The Kaikohe-based Te Runanga A Iwi O Ngapuhi makes up 16 per cent of New Zealanders of Maori descent.

"The Ngapuhi people, of whom I am descended, are undergoing a renewal process," said Jones.

"A change of leadership, new strip and a new open approach to the business of delivering advancement to the people.

"We want to get the young people educated and advance economic and social opportunities," he said.

Shelford and his wife, Jo, said they had long stood on the sidelines watching their iwi drift.

"The sort of pride, skills and passion we saw from our Maori All Blacks last Saturday [when they gave the world champion Wallabies a real run for their money] - that's what we want to see from all Ngapuhi," Shelford said.

Entertainers including Robert Rakete are also involved in promoting the review.

Ngapuhi leaders will be at the Manurewa marae tomorrow from 1 pm and at the Te Piringatahi marae, at Luckens Point, West Harbour, next Saturday.