July 08, 2022
Sport NZ to fund mau rākau school
Te Whare Tū Taua o Aotearoa has received backing from Sport NZ Ihi Aotearoa to deliver its traditional Māori weaponry training curriculum nationally over the next three years.
The school was founded by Sir Pita Sharples in 1983 to teach mau rākau as well as physical fitness, Māori history, confidence, leadership skills, and self-discipline.
It has 2000 members throughout Aotearoa, with branches in London, Australia, Hawai’i and Abu Dabi.
Ihi Aotearoa chief executive Raelene Castle says the funding will enable Māori to participate in physical activity that is for and by Māori.
It’s the first investment from Te Ihi Fund, which is part of the organisation’s kaupapa Maori response plan to Covid-19, aimed at supporting Māori organisations who are implementing culturally distinctive pathways for whānau, hapū, iwi, Māori to engage with.