By Aktive
Published on Thursday 29 August, 2024
Registrations are now open for Iwi of Origin 2024. Organisers are calling on Māori across the Tāmaki region to sign up and champion their rangatiratanga through sport and physical activity.
The festival will take place on Saturday 23 November at Bruce Pulman Park, Tāmaki Makaurau.
Now in its 17th year, Iwi of Origin promotes health and wellbeing among urban Māori through sport and physical activity, in a by Māori, with Māori, for Māori way. The 2024 festival includes poitarawhiti (netball); whutupōro takiwhitu (rugby sevens); poitūkohu (basketball); rīki (rugby league); pā whutupōro (touch); and kaupapa Māori games.
Leaders in their codes, such as Tāmaki Makaurau Poitarawhiti, Te Hiku o Te Ika Māori Rugby, Tāmaki Makaurau Poitūkohu, Counties Manukau Māori Rugby League and Māori Touch NZ will be involved, supporting the festival’s vision to engage urban Māori in active lifestyles.
Aktive’s Māori Participation Manager and Iwi of Origin Event Producer, Mere Rangihuna, says the festival has a role in supporting improved health outcomes for rangatahi and tamariki Māori.
“Iwi of Origin aims to be the premier Māori waiora event, fostering wellbeing and physical activity in Tāmaki Makaurau in a very whānau friendly way. We want Māori to feel they have a space to come together and celebrate being Māori,” says Rangihuna.
Manu Pihama, Aktive’s Māori Partnerships Manager, says the festival aligns with Aktive’s vision to make Tāmaki Makaurau the most active city in the world.
“We hope to see an increased number of tamariki and rangatahi Māori registering for the 2024 festival. We know through experience that involving tamariki and rangatahi influences parents and grandparents, making Iwi of Origin beneficial to all whānau,” says Pihama.
Active NZ 2023-24 research found that 51 percent of young people in Auckland1 are not meeting the recommended World Health Organisation activity guidelines. Barriers include being too busy, lack of motivation, doesn’t fit in an already busy family schedule and having to focus on school work.2
Iwi of Origin directly addresses these challenges by providing accessible and inclusive opportunities for urban Māori to engage in sports and physical activity and improve their overall health. For more information and registrations, click here.
To register, visit this link.