Herstory is on display at Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-po from today, and coincides with the Hurricanes Poua versus Chiefs Manawa match at Levin Domain tomorrow.
Herstory is on display at Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-po from today, and coincides with the Hurricanes Poua versus Chiefs Manawa match at Levin Domain tomorrow.
Levin is the place to be for fans of women’s rugby this weekend.
The opening match of the 2023 Super Rugby Aupiki competition between the Hurricanes Poua and Chiefs Manawa is at Levin Domain this Saturday afternoon. In a coup for fans, Black Ferns players Ayesha Leti-I’iga and Joanah Ngan-Woo are both expected to be named in the Hurricanes Poua side.
Ngan-Woo will forever be famous for her line-out steal that helped the Black Ferns beat England in the final of the World Cup last year - an unforgettable tournament that attracted a new legion of followers to the women’s game.
Joanah Ngan-Woo in action for Wellington against Canterbury at Orangetheory Stadium in 2020. Photo / Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images
Coinciding with tomorrow’s match is the Herstory exhibition at Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-po, exploring the untold story of women’s rugby in Aotearoa. Curated by the New Zealand Rugby Museum, the exhibition is the first to focus on women’s rugby.
Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-po library is just a goose step away from Levin Domain.
Herstory is a tribute to women in sport and their fight to overcome prejudice and convention in a male-dominated world, chronicling its journey from beginning to modern day popularity.
Museum director Stephen Berg said Herstory traced the beginnings of female rugby players in the late 19th century when historical records mostly highlighted women’s outfits rather than their skill on the field.
Ayesha Leti-I'iga of the Black Ferns in action against England. Leti-I'iga will be in action for Hurricanes Poua at Levin Domain tomorrow. Photo / Photosport
“The story of women’s rugby is largely untold, and this exhibition fills an important gap in the history of the game,” he said.
While women were fighting for the right to vote, wāhine were also trying to establish the world’s first professional rugby team. Herstory celebrates past and present rugby legends and features dozens of photos taken throughout the years and film footage of the first interprovincial game in 1980.
In 1888 Wellington Girls’ High rivaled a Salvation Army team – one of the first games of women’s rugby played in New Zealand. The game did not allow tackling or scrums.
The first provincial game, between Manawatū and Hawke’s Bay, wasn’t played until 1980. Until then, women’s participation in rugby was assumed to be largely on the sidelines or in the club tearooms.
Herstory of Women’s Rugby breaks this assumption, recounting 130 years of women’s experiences playing rugby in three sections – the pioneering years (1888-1980), the beginning of regular competitions (1980-2000) and covering Rugby World Cups, the Sevens and Black Ferns (2000 to the present day).
Mayor of Horowhenua Bernie Wanden said it was exciting to host an exhibition celebrating women’s rugby, particularly on the back of the unforgettable Black Ferns’ sixth world title late last year.
Herstory of Women's Rugby is on display at Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-po.
“Bringing this inspiring and informative exhibition to Horowhenua at the same time we host the opening match of the Super Rugby Aupiki competition is doubly exciting for the many rugby fans and aspiring Black Ferns in the district. The history of women’s rugby is fascinating and I encourage everyone to come along and learn about the previously untold story of the sport.”
Herstory will be on display at Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō from today to Monday, February 27. There is no cost for entry.
The match between Hurricanes Poua and Cheifs Manawa kicks off at 2.05pm at Levin Domain on Saturday, February 25.
- Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ on Air.
