Hawaiki Toa course for Maori fitness challenge

Living in the city means overcoming obstacles and that's the spirit the organisers of a new fitness event for Maori have embraced.

The first Hawaiki Toa will be held on March 31 at the Vector Wero Whitewater Park by Manukau City.

Organiser Beez Ngarino Te Waati says the Auckland Council-backed event has drawn on Maori history and concepts to come up with a series of challenges.

It starts with a 1 kilometre swim, followed by a 3 kilometre run then a 2 kilometre obstacle course including a maze, a building project and a challenge from Maori warriors.

"What we want to try to do is embrace the whakatauaki haere toa atu, hoki toa mai, which means go as a warrior and return as a warrior. The mortality of our people needs to change. That's what we've identified through poor health statistics and this is the way we want to encompass that through everyday lifestyle," Mr Watts says.

He says as well as increased fitness the event offers kotahitanga, whanaungatanga and manaakitanga.

BEEZ NGARINO TE WAATI FULL INTERVIEW

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