The oldest athlete, Hariata Ririnui. Photo / Te Ao Māori News
The oldest athlete, Hariata Ririnui. Photo / Te Ao Māori News
More than 700 kuia and koroua competed at the annual Te Arawa Kaumātua Olympics in Rotorua yesterday.
The oldest athlete there, Hariata Ririnui from Ngāti Tarāwhai, is 104 and although age may mean taking things a little slower, her competitive spirit hasn’t dimmed one bit.
Dr Laurie Morrison (Ngāti Whakaue), the main overseer of the Kaumātua Olympics, was overwhelmed by the tremendous turnout, with more than 38 teams from around the middle North Island.
Age is just a number - ka mau te wehi, e Hariata!
“What can I say - we are just blown away - and to think we haven’t had this since 2019 because of Covid-19, and we only had 23 teams back then. This is really awesome,” she said.
Morrison and her crew first participated in the 2018 Kaumatua Olympics hosted by Rauawaawa Charitable Trust and Rototuna High School students in Waikato. They asked if they could bring the idea back to Te Arawa - and the rest is history.
Photo / Te Ao Māori News
Kaumātua-friendly games
Morrison puts the success of the event down to her committee of strong volunteers and her supportive funders, the Rotorua Trust, Bay Trust, Te Puni Kokiri, Pukeroa Oruawhata, Ngāti Whakaue Lands Trust, Te Arawa Lakes Trust, Te Pumautanga Trust and a number of Ngāti Pikiao Trusts. The event cost $30,000 to run.
There were 10-12 games, with a 10-minute duration, and five minutes to move to the next game. They played kaumātua-friendly games such as noodle hockey and corn hole, puzzles, poi, dance, cup and ball hoop, and cone throwing, all sorts of games played at social events.
“And is there cheating - yes there is - but no one will tell you,” Morrison laughed.
At 104 years old, Hariata Ririnui was the oldest at the competition and was the secret to her Ngāti Pikiao team’s success.
She dominated in the game of connect four, outwitting her opponents. Even though it was all about fun, the kuia showed her competitive side was well and truly alive.
Celebrating life
Her whānaunga Te Ariki Morehu, who was also on her team, marvelled at her competitiveness.
“Yes, she’s great at the game, and being here is good for us a lot because it’s about being together as a family,” Morehu said.
After three years of Covid-19, these elders could come together to celebrate life together. MC Phyllis Tangitu said it was really difficult for koeke during that time because they were scared. Some had been without food and resources and did not know if they could go to their doctors.
“We have come through such an incredibly hard time,” she said.
“But today it is about celebration.”
April Taiaroa-Mudgway and her team travelled all the way from Wanganui to play. She was sporting her pink wig, glasses, and fairy wings.
Photo / Te Ao Māori News
Two arenas next time
She explained that Covid-19 had scared her and isolated her away from any contact for fear of getting sick and dying.
“Covid knocked a lot of us back but there is no sign of it here and all this event is about is ora, your health, wellbeing, life, and happiness, just what we need to heal,” Taiaroa-Mudgway said.
Morrison and her dedicated committee plan to hold the Kaumātua Olympics again next year in Rotorua. However, she says they will need two arenas due to the sheer size.
She hopes Te Whatu Ora will play an active role by providing funding to enable the continuity of the Kaumatua Olympics for those regions that provide them annually.
