Parikino Marae rang in Puanga/Matariki (Maori New Year) in great fashion when winning the inaugural Ki o Rahi Challenge in Whanganui at the weekend.
Organised by Awa Sport, the tournament was designed to pit marae against marae in the region on the sports field using the traditional Maori code asthe vehicle.
Justin Gush, of Awa Sport, said the event, which he hoped would become an annual tournament, was also designed to promote Ki o Rahi around the region and bring families together in a happy and friendly atmosphere.
"We hoped to get about 12 teams, but a tangi in the region affected numbers. We still managed to attract six teams, which we were very happy with under the circumstances. There were also a lot of supporters," Gush said yesterday.
"We also held workshop sessions to teach people the game before the main event. The challenge was taken out by the team from the Parikino marae."
To make the challenge more family-friendly, organisers adopted a seven-a-side rippa rugby version of the game allowing younger players to pit their skills against the older brigade.
