A newly formed under-15s rugby league team made up of Australian-born or residing Māori players has returned to Aotearoa, to take part in the upcoming Aotearoa NZ Māori Rugby League Tournament, Rangatahi Tama.
The side was brought together earlier this year by former professional player and Māori rugby league stalwart Adam Blair, who says the initiative is about instilling cultural identity in young players who may feel disconnected from their heritage.
“The biggest thing for me with this kaupapa is connecting culture,” said Blair. “It shows in our logo, it’s harakeke, it’s weaving culture, it’s weaving our development, it’s weaving our connections together and it’s weaving one, kotahitanga.”
Te Hononga – The Connection
For many of the players, this marks their first time in Aotearoa, while for others, it is a significant homecoming. On Thursday evening, the team was honoured in a jersey ceremony at Te Māhurehure Marae in Auckland, where they performed their haka, which speaks to the reconnection with their ancestral lands.
Cultural advisor AJ Pomare says witnessing the haka was a realisation of long-held dreams.
“Ka tīmata tēnei kaupapa kia whakahoki ō mātou nei tamariki, ō mātou nei rangatahi Māori ki konei, ki ēnei kaupapa rangatira, ki te tautoko, ki te ako i ō rātou nei Māoritanga.”
Blair says he wants the players to feel a deep sense of identity and belonging.
“I want them to feel that they belong, feel like they are Māori. Whether they’re the whitest Māori, the most Pākehā fulla, but, if you’ve got Māori blood, you’re Māori.”
Rangatahi Tama Tournament
The team will compete in Rotorua this weekend against other rangatahi teams in the highly anticipated Rangatahi Tama tournament.
Blair, who personally selected the players for the event, says the competition will be a challenge.
“It’s highly competitive, these boys will get a rude shock on the size of the guys they’re going to be coming up against in the u15’s. I’m excited to see what they can do,” he said.
Their first match will see them take on their whanaunga from the Hokianga Storm.
