Basketball: Rotorua’s Waikimihia Douglas-Karauna represents Aotearoa at Fiba Under-17 Women’s World Cup

By Te Ao Māori News

From the haka stage to the basketball court, a student from Rotorua is taking Māori culture to the world.

Waikimihia Douglas-Karauna (Te Arawa, Ngāti Porou, Te Aitanga a Māhaki, Te Whānau a Apanui, Ngāpuhi) has travelled to Mexico to represent Aotearoa at the International Basketball Federation (Fiba) Under-17 Women’s Basketball World Cup.

“I tino harikoa au i taku kōwhiringa. E poho kererū e taea ana au te whakakanohi me te whakatairanga i te ingoa o tōku whānau, [tōku] iwi me tōku kura anō hoki.”

(I was very happy with my selection. I am proud to be able to represent and promote my family name, my iwi and my school as well.)

Aotearoa are one of 16 teams competing in the seventh edition of the biennial tournament, starting July 13.

“I whakamohio mai rātau ka uru au ki te tīma nā te raru o tētahi o ngā kōtiro – i whara ia. Nō reira kāre ia i taea te haramai, i whakakī au i tana tūnga. I tino hikaka au i taku rongotanga ake,” says Douglas-Karauna, who was initially selected as a non-travelling reserve.

(They told me I was in the team after another girl was injured. She wasn’t able to come so I filled her spot. I was excited to hear the news.)

This is not the first international appearance for Douglas-Karauna, who recently played at the Fiba U16 Women’s Asian Championship 2023, earning the team a spot at this year’s World Cup.

Douglas-Karauna said she’d had a packed schedule as she was also in Nelson last month, representing her school Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Koutu on the national kapa haka stage.

She said it was difficult balancing sport and kapa haka this year.

“Nā tōku ngākaunui ki tōku ahurea Māori i tino whakaawe i a au kia noho ki te kapa haka i taua wa.

“I tino taumaha, ēngari ko taku tino hiahia kia kite atu aku teina, e taea ana koe te mahi i ngā mea e rua mehemea e wawatia nei e koe.”

(My love for my Māori culture influenced me to continue with kapa haka at the time.

It was difficult, but my hope is that the younger generation can see that you can do both if that is your dream.)

Douglas-Karauna said it was hard for smaller kura [schools] like hers to gain recognition among bigger schools.

“Mehemea ka whakataurite i tā mātau kura ki ngā kura nui, [he] huarahi tino uaua mā mātau [kia] kitea whānuitia e te motu mō te poitūkohu nā te tino iti o ngā kōtiro e whiria ana mō te tīma.”

(If you compare our school to the bigger schools, it’s a hard road for us to be recognised nationally for basketball, because very few of our girls are selected for these teams.)

Despite the difficulties, she said her whānau had nurtured her through her basketball journey, which started at the tender age of 5.

“Nā te ao Māori hoki au i mārama kaha ai ko wai ahau, ahakoa haere au ki hea. Ka noho te ao Māori hei poutokomanawa mōku i ngā wā katoa.”

(Te ao Māori has helped me understand who I am, no matter where I go. It will always remain my pillar of strength.)

She also carried this mindset into her basketball team, using her knowledge to connect others with their Māori heritage.

“Ko te nuinga o ngā kōtiro he Māori, ēngari kāre i te mōhio ki te reo Māori, me tō rātau ahurea pēnei ki a au.

He tino hiahia tā rātau ki te ako, nō reira ko tāku he tino āwhina i te wā e taea ana au ki te awhina.”

(A lot of the girls are Māori but they don’t know much about their language or culture, which I do.

They have a great desire to learn, so I help them where I can.)

Douglas-Karauna hoped to continue her sporting career overseas in the future.

“I ngā tau kei te heke mai ko taku hiahia [he] tiro atu ki te huarahi e haere ai au ki Amerika.

(In the years to come I am looking at going to America.)

There, she hoped to attend university and pursue medical studies.

The New Zealand team will play Mexico on July 14 in their first game of the tournament.