Ki o Rahi Poneke Festival

Ki o Rahi Poneke Festival

Ki-o-Rahi Poneke Festival
Saturday 1 October
Wakefiled Park, Island Bay

Wellington City hosts the first ever regional Ki-o-Rahi Festival at Wakefield Park in Island Bay, as part of the REAL NZ Festival.

Ki-o-Rahi is a skilful, traditional Maori game, steeped in  legend. There will be social �rippa rugby� style games and full contact �test� matches played on a state of the art artificial turf, as well as food and cultural activities.

Ki-o-Rahi was taken to France and Italy by the M?ori Battalion in World War Two and is still played in those countries today. It is undergoing a resurgence in Aotearoa, led by the organisations like Ki-o-Rahi Poneke, who promote the kaupapa and rules of this unique New Zealand Taonga.

Ki �o-Rahi has skills which are transferable to Rugby, Netball and Handball, with players having to score points by touching a ball onto outlying �pou� and then returning it in hand, rugby style, over a central try line. Each area in the circular arena relates to a part of the myth of Ki �o Rahi. It can be played full contact, touch or 'rippa' flag style.

The Ki-o-Rahi Poneke Festival will have a �rippa� social grade as well as full contact test matches between some of the best exponents of Ki-o-Rahi in New Zealand.

It will also include skill demonstrations, food, fun and culture. It promises to be a great day out in Island Bay.

Go to www.r2r.org.nz and www.sportwellington.org.nz for more event info and information about how to play Ki-o-Rahi.

Bump- reminder this is on tomorrow

A fun day of sport and culture in the bay

Cheers