Newsmaker: Minarapa Mitai-Ngatai

Minarapa Mitai-Ngatai at home surrounded by his instruments and carvings.

This week's newsmaker is Minarapa Mitai-Ngatai who was inducted into Te Puia Arawa Hall of Fame last weeked for his contribution to sport and the community.

Over the last 30 years he has coached young hockey players and many have gone on to play at a representative level. He is well known in Rotorua for his musical abilities, as a saxophonist and a vocalist.

Mr Mitai-Ngatai is in great demand throughout New Zealand performing at tangihanga and he performs nightly at Mitai Maori Village.

Tell us about yourself.
I grew up in Matata. It was a wonderful place to grow up in. My tribal affiliation is Ngati Rangitihi and my father was Whakatohea. I moved to Rotorua in 1953, straight from school.
My wife, Margaret, was from Okere Falls, we had 10 children, eight of our own and two we brought up. Margaret passed away in 2002. I have lots of grandchildren, I have lost count of how many.

Were you surprised to be inducted into Te Puia Arawa Hall of Fame?

Yes I was, they said it was to do with sports, I was sitting there watching all the other people getting awards. I didn't expect anything after that.

They just announced my name, I didn't think what I did was good enough to warrant getting some sort of recognition, after seeing all the others going up.

When they announced my name, there was acknowledgment like a haka. That is why it was a surprise.

Are you from a sporting family originally?

My father enjoyed playing hockey and rugby. Hockey was very strong in those days. There used to be various sports days between the different areas like Matata, Te Teko and Poroporowhere we competed in hockey and rugby.

How long have you been involved with hockey?

Since 1944, there was no such thing as school teams. From the age of 10, I had to play with grown ups.

All my family can play hockey really well. I have a grandson Leo Mitai-Wells who is in the U18 New Zealad squad.

How far did your own hockey career go?

I wasn't interested in representative hockey, we were just interested in playing and having fun, I probably could have made it in to the reps. But I had a family to bring up.

As an adult in Rotorua I played for Ngapuna before forming a family team, Te Manu Kowhai.

How long have you been coaching children's hockey?

I have coached a lot of young ones for over 30 years, mainly primary and high school aged children. For the last two years I have been coaching at Selwyn Primary School and they want me to keep going.

I have also coached children from St Joseph Convent. A lot of the children I have coached have grown up and now have children. Every player I coach gets a little shield, which I design and carve with their names on them.

What keeps you involved in coaching?

I love the game. Now with astroturf there is more skill than there used to be. The rules have changed and it makes the game more free flowing.
Now you can turn on the ball as long as you turn away and are not obstructing. There are no offside rules any more and now you don't bully off, you just start playing. It is spectacular to watch the skills and the young people are so talented.

Did you play any other sports?

I used to play rugby. I was hooker so I only knew scrums and lineouts. It was so boring for me, I just preferred hockey.

Do you still play any sports?

Yes, I still play tennis at the Rotorua Tennis Club. I still play summer hockey.

Tell us three things about yourself that people would not know.

I am ambidextrous. When I was younger and played tennis, I had no backhand. I got growled at and it took ages to change but I can still play with both hands.

I am not very good with heights. If someone asked me to do a bungee jump I wouldn't do It. I don't like dangerous things that much.

I raced yachts and catamarans years ago.